With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s a great time to think about your teen’s dating life. Dating is a true rite of passage in adolescence, and if you, as a parent, have the right attitude and message, dating can become a great teaching tool for your child. Dating helps young people learn to get along with others, communicate,
Read moreMany middle school students are involved in “romantic” relationships. While you might consider “dating” the process of going places with someone to get to know them better, youth today think dating is calling each other boyfriend/girlfriend and socializing online in a way that is often invisible to parents. Your tween could be dating and you might have no idea. BEFORE
Read moreAdolescence is that awkward time when children seem to suddenly switch from playing with toys to writing names of their crush with hearts in their notebook. It’s a difficult adjustment both for parents and for their teens, but it’s natural and an important part of their development. However, sometimes a tween or teen can get a little carried away to
Read moreInstagram is a free social media app that allows users to share photos and videos. It is extremely popular among adolescents with over 70% of teens using the app regularly. It is the second most popular social media site behind YouTube for teenaged users. As with all social media, there are positives and negatives associated with using Instagram, and our
Read moreFor many people, February is labeled as the month of love because of Valentine’s Day. But it is also National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. It’s disappointing that we need such an observance, but one in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner! With these types of numbers,
Read moreLately, the news and media are reporting a great deal about sexual harassment, and you may be wondering what your teenager knows and understands about this subject. First of all, even if you think you have sheltered your teen from the reports – perhaps by not watching the news on TV – you should know that your teen has definitely
Read moreExperts always advise parents of teenagers to talk to their children about sex in developmentally appropriate conversations throughout adolescence. Most parents focus their talks on sexual intercourse and do not specify other types of sexual activity, such as oral sex. Unfortunately, today’s teens believe oral sex is “safer” than vaginal sex, which is not true. Additionally, many don’t consider oral
Read moreIt is an emotional, overwhelming, and sometimes awkward time when your teenager starts dating. Many of us fear the time our child begins dating for a variety of reasons – it’s a big sign your child is growing up, it’s a time when your child desires someone else’s attention more than yours, and it opens a whole new area of
Read moreApril is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which is a good excuse to use to talk to your teen – both boys and girls – about this important issue. Many parents make the mistake of only talking to their daughters about sexual assault. While it’s true that the majority of sexual assault victims are women and girls, many men and boys
Read moreThe digital age has changed many things in our culture, including the prevalence of pornography. Once a taboo, porn has become more common and easy to find on the Internet. In fact, in the United States, 79% of men, age 18-30, view porn at least monthly. Unfortunately, research shows that exposure to significant amounts of pornography causes people to think
Read moreAdolescence can be a time of curiosity about sex and a desire for adventure and risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many young people engage in sexual activity and some of their behaviors are risky for their health. For example, among U.S. high school students surveyed in 2015: 41% have already had sexual intercourse. 30% have
Read moreMore than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 8 are unaware of their infection. But, more important for parents to know is that the fastest growing population of people with HIV are teens and young adults. In the United States, one in four of all new HIV infections is among
Read moreToday’s teens don’t date like their parents did. Remember when a boy asked a girl out on a date, rang the doorbell, met her parents, and the young couple went to dinner and a movie? Remember when girls wore their boyfriend’s class ring on a chain around their neck to signify that they were “going steady”? This type of dating
Read moreLast week, authorities in Cañon City, Colorado began investigating widespread sharing of nude pictures at a high school, which reportedly involved half the football team. The school district announced it had learned, through anonymous tips, that “a number of our students have engaged in behavior where they take and pass along pictures of themselves that expose private parts of their
Read moreJust this past summer, Zach Anderson made headlines across the country. The 19-year-old boy from Indiana went on a dating app, called “Hot or Not,” hoping to meet a girl. After connecting with a girl who claimed she was 17 and chatting with her through the app, Anderson traveled from Indiana to Michigan to meet her. They had consensual sex.
Read moreThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results this week from their annual survey on teen sex and contraception use. The report shows that while teen birth rates have declined over the last decade, use of emergency contraceptive, often called the morning-after pill, has dramatically increased. The CDC reports that, in 2013, 22% (more than 1 in 5)
Read more“Sexting” is sending sexually explicit messages or photos via cell phone or instant messenger. A new study from Drexel University, based on a survey of undergraduate students at a large northeastern university, has yielded some surprising results about teens and sexting: More than half of respondents (54%) reported sexting as minors. However, only 28 percent sent sexts with photographs. The
Read moreThe belief that most rapes occur at the hands of a faceless stranger in a dark alley couldn’t be further from the truth. Most rapes involve someone the victim knows. Unfortunately, date rape is far too common among teenagers. It is very important that parents discuss sexual violence and date rape with their teens. Parents should cover these basic ideas:
Read moreYoung people growing up lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) in America face several difficulties including discrimination and social ostracism. Many LGBT teens end up disconnected from their homes, schools and communities. Below are a few facts and statistics from available research: 30% of LGBT youth reported suffering physical violence at the hands of a family member after coming out.
Read moreSexual harassment is something we often think about in workplaces, but should parents be worrying about it in their child’s school? Unfortunately, it can be a serious problem for students in middle and high schools, and often they are too embarrassed or scared to report it. Both boys and girls can face unwanted sexual conduct from their fellow students or
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