With summer rapidly approaching, many teens are considering part-time employment. A first job for a teen can be a really exciting and positive entry into the adult world! A job can help teenagers develop responsibility, gain confidence, learn new skills, obtain increased autonomy, achieve new accomplishments, and build their resume. Having part-time employment demonstrates that a student has a good
Read moreSelf-care is a big buzz word thrown around media these days, but there’s a lot of confusion about what it really means and there are many misconceptions about it. Self-care is not self-indulgence or being selfish – it doesn’t mean splurging on a shopping trip or spending all day at the spa. Self-care encompasses activities, practices, and habits that reduce
Read moreLast month, the Journal of the American Medical Association released a study reporting that adolescent overdose deaths in the United States have more than doubled over the past decade. Despite drug use among teens being at a historic low, the amount of fentanyl being sold to teens in the form of counterfeits of common medications is driving the spike. From
Read moreIt’s normal for tweens, teens or young adults to feel nervous in some social situations. For example, going on a date or giving a presentation at school may cause that feeling of butterflies in their stomach. Comfort levels in different social situations vary, depending on an individual’s personality traits and life experiences. Some people are naturally reserved and others are
Read moreMany teens are talented at making their parents feel guilty. Their protests over your actions can be endless… “I have the earliest curfew.” “None of my friends have to stay home for family movie night on Fridays.” “You are invading my privacy when you look at my cell phone!” It can make a parent doubt every move they make. Teens
Read moreIf you’re someone whose tweens or teens are being taken care of by other adults – whether that’s an ex-spouse every weekend, a neighbor while at work, or a grandparent for a trip – then you’re well aware of the stress and tension that can occur from different styles in caretaking. It can feel frustrating when another adult disregards your
Read moreEveryone has their favorite teachers. Whether it’s the funny teacher who made the class entertaining or that empathetic teacher who made us feel understood, teachers can have a big impact on our lives. But, we also have those teachers who were boring or that were difficult to get along with or that we just didn’t like that much. While it’s
Read moreTeasing. The dictionary defines it as a statement intended to provoke or make fun of someone in a playful way. In some families, members often tease each other, and depending on the personalities involved, it can be a great way to laugh and let off steam. Friends can enjoy fun together with kind and playful teasing. But teasing isn’t always
Read moreOur society has some strong stereotypes about the “type of parent” who raises a teen who is a troublemaker. Our culture implies that kind of kid must belong to a parent who doesn’t care or doesn’t spend enough time with their kid or is abusive or doesn’t make their child feel loved or is too permissive. And, the idea makes
Read moreHe, she, they… such small words, but they carry new meaning for Generation Z. Across the country, middle and high school students are talking to their parents in different ways about pronouns. Some teens might announce to their parents that they want to change their name and pronouns to reflect their gender identity. Even more teens are telling their parents
Read moreIf your family has a history of addiction, your child will have an increased risk of developing one too. For example, research shows that children of alcoholics are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than other children. Addiction can be hereditary, meaning that the presence of certain genes in a person’s DNA can make them more likely to abuse
Read moreAny adult who has a teenager in their life knows that it is not an easy task to get them to talk and share. Conversing with a teen can be filled with one-word responses and plenty of eye-rolling. If you want to try to establish those important open lines of communication, then try these tips: Get to know them. Adults
Read morePornography today is significantly different than in previous generations. Before the Internet, porn was generally limited to pictures in Playboy magazine and renting X-rated movies from the adult video store. Porn wasn’t easy to get, nor was it especially graphic. But with the advent of the digital age, today’s porn has become more common and easy to find on the
Read moreBody piercings are quite common in the United States, and so it should come as no shock that parents often face that difficult question from their child, “Can I get my _____ pierced?” Young people get body piercings for many reasons, including to make a fashion statement, feel a sense of belonging with peers, express their identity, or rebel against
Read moreAmerican teens have very different viewpoints on whether their race or ethnicity will help or hurt their ability to get ahead in life, as well as the existence of White privilege, according to a recent survey. The Washington Post-Ipsos poll was conducted online between May 7 and June 15, 2021, among a random national sample of 1,349 teenagers between the
Read moreThere’s been a lot of talk about “mindfulness” in our culture lately, but many people don’t fully understand the term. Mindfulness is when we try to stay consciously aware of an experience while it’s happening. This can be a helpful practice in any number of situations, but it can be especially useful while eating. Many Americans will eat junk food
Read moreMany parents look toward the teen years with dread. They hear the horror stories of back-talking, eye-rolling, and rebellion, and wish they could just skip the whole thing. If you’re in this category, we first encourage you to read our previous blog, Reasons to Be Thankful for Teenagers, because there are some real upsides to teens that are often overlooked!
Read moreSetbacks in life are inevitable. No matter how hard we try, we all fail sometimes. However, even though we all know that failure is a normal part of life, we fear it. We wonder how it will define us, what other people will think about us, how we will recover, and whether we will ever be successful. Ironically, despite our
Read moreOver the last decade, mental health among youth has deteriorated. Unfortunately, while adolescent mental health was already at a very low point, a number of recent social issues – the pandemic, an uptick in school shootings, a reckoning on racial justice, the climate crisis, and a divisive political landscape – have really intensified this downward trend. The U.S. Surgeon General
Read moreThe beginning of a new year feels like a fresh start, which is probably why so many of us resolve to improve something about ourselves. Unfortunately, New Year’s resolutions can be hard to stick to. Whether you’re a parent or a teen, today’s blog will help you follow through on making your resolution become a reality. Be realistic. Create a
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