Today’s children have grown up in a world dominated by technology and as a result have faced pitfalls that many of their parents never had to consider when they were growing up. The latest tempting vice is online gambling. Teens are very familiar with the explosion of apps that make it easy to bet on almost anything, ranging from sports
Read moreBeing able to handle emergency situations calmly and confidently is an important life skill and crucial for teens to learn before they are out on their own. Every high school student should know basic first aid. These valuable life skills are the difference between panic and action when something goes wrong, so parents should take the time to discuss the
Read moreFebruary is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to talk to the youth in your life about healthy relationships and dating abuse. Adolescence is a time for exploring romantic feelings, but because teens have so little experience, they don’t really know what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable in a dating relationship. Unfortunately, almost a third
Read moreWhether you love it or hate it, technology is an integral part of teens’ lives. The Internet, social media, AI, and texting offer wonderful ways to connect, obtain and share information, stream entertainment, and learn. But, they also expose our children to a lot of risk. Since our children are digital natives, it’s important that we teach them how to
Read moreThere has been a large amount of success around the “Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign. While people still make the mistake of driving while drunk, the numbers have declined, and most people know they shouldn’t drive while under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, there’s a new problem that has arisen, of which the majority of people are not aware. Nearly
Read moreA recent report from Common Sense Media, the nonprofit media watchdog, suggests that companion-like artificial intelligence (AI) apps pose “unacceptable risks” to children and teenagers. Common Sense Media worked with Stanford University researchers to test three popular AI companion services: Character.AI, Replika and Nomi. What are AI Companion Apps? A growing trend among youth, AI companion apps are designed to simulate
Read moreChildren, especially adolescents, are masters of pushing boundaries. It’s actually a normal part of development for children to test limits, break rules, rebel against expectations, and do anything to avoid punishment. Although this behavior is irritating for parents, it’s important to realize that children are actually learning through this process. By recognizing this is a normal part of childhood, parents
Read moreVirtual reality (VR) headsets, a head-mounted device that provides an immersive virtual experience, are very popular! Sales of VR headsets rose from 5.4 million units in 2019 to more than a projected 14 million for 2024. These headsets are widely used with video games, but can also be used in other applications, such as training simulations. Many teenagers love to use
Read moreDid you know that the 100 days between Memorial and Labor Day are the deadliest for teens? Car crashes are behind this troubling statistic. The CDC estimates that 7 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 die every day from motor vehicle injuries. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for American teens, and during the 100 Deadliest
Read moreIn a 2020 report, it was determined that 7.5 million Americans are stalked each year; and a staggering 48% of teens between the ages of 12 and 18 who had been in a dating relationship had been stalked or harassed by a partner. Since this seems to be a fairly common experience among youth, it’s important that parents talk to
Read moreIt is very unfortunate that school shootings and gun violence have become so common that a majority of teenagers have felt some anxiety about the possibility. And as with any increasing safety risk for children, parents should talk to their teens about the facts and how to stay safe. Difficult conversations with teens – whether they are about drugs, sex,
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. If your teen is considering making a New Year’s Resolution, encourage them to make a “no texting behind the wheel” resolution. This resolution will keep your teen, and those around him/her, safe! Distracted driving is
Read moreThe holidays are upon us, and many teens want to participate in parties or other social celebrations. It can be really hard to know how best to keep teens safe while still allowing them to enjoy time with their peers. With that in mind, here are some tips: Establish expectations. The most important thing you can do to ensure your teen
Read moreOctober is bullying prevention month. Today we will discuss the warning signs that your child is being bullied and what you should do if they are experiencing bullying. The first thing to understand is a definition. Bullying is an intentional, aggressive and repeated behavior that involves an imbalance of power or strength. It’s intentional and repeated, so calling someone a
Read moreObtaining a driving learner’s permit is a major milestone for teens, but it can be both exciting and terrifying for parents. Parents must quickly take the role of teacher, and we know all too well the possible dangers our teens will face on the roads. It is not easy to teach all of the important driving skills that come so
Read moreA study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March 2023 discovered that the mortality rate for children and teens in the United States surged in 2020 and 2021. Pediatric deaths increased nearly 11% in 2020 and more than 8% in 2021, which were the largest upticks in decades. The increased rate was primarily from fatal injuries
Read moreTeenagers and risk seem to go hand in hand. As teens walk the path of becoming independent adults, exploring their limits and abilities is part of developing their identities. Risk-taking is an important way for teenagers to learn about themselves. It peaks at around 15-16 years and tends to tail off by early adulthood. While it’s very stressful for parents,
Read moreMore than a million kids ages 5 to 14 are injured each year in sports and require a trip to the emergency room, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Football has the highest incidence of injury, followed by basketball. Along with sports, the agency also reports significant injuries from things like playground equipment and skateboards. While high contact
Read moreRecently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the results of their Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a bi-annual survey that measures adolescent health and well-being. Collected in fall 2021, the survey responses from 17,232 U.S. high school students showed that most of the indicators for teen well-being worsened significantly from past years. The survey showed that experiences of
Read moreHigh control groups are organizations that entice unsuspecting individuals to commit to, and comply with, the group’s way of thinking, acting and believing. Cults are an extreme form of high control groups, but there are many other types, such as political groups, religious groups, gangs, multi-level-marketing (MLM), conspiracy theory communities, self-help groups, activist groups, and lifestyle groups. Some psychologists even
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