Decoder - Breaking down teen culture, substance abuse, and parenting
Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:50:59 +0000

Your Kids are Watching You Drive: 5 Reminders to Stay Safe
Your kids learn to how drive long before they are learning to drive. In the same way that you model behaviors of all kinds, so do you teach your child how be safe on the road, how to operate a lethal weapon called a car, and how to be a driver.
Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:15:48 +0000

Your Teen Probably Knows All About Synthetic Drugs (like Spice, K2 and Bath Salts) — You Should Too
Synthetic marijuana, known as Spice or K2, is gaining attention among high school seniors. According to The University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future study one in every nine 12th graders reported using this drug. Another synthetic drug to be aware of is Bath Salts, a synthetic powdered stimulants – sold online and in drug paraphernalia stores as bath salts and plant food. Here's what parents need to know about these synthetic drugs, Spice, K2 and Bath Salts.
Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:05:54 +0000

October E-mail: Thrill Seeker, Mood Swinger or Rebel
Parents! In case you didn't see our October Parent E-mail, here it is. If you'd like to receive tips, tools and guidance for raising your tween, teen or young adult, please sign up for our monthly parent e-mail.
Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:36:15 +0000

Typical Teen Behaviors: How Would You Describe Your Teenager?
Is my teen's attitude and behavior normal? If you've asked yourself this question, welcome to the club. From mood swings to risk taking, "normal teenage behavior" can appear to be anything but normal to parents. Science shows that from early adolescence through their mid-20s, a teen's brain develops somewhat unevenly, from back to front. This may help explain their endearingly quirky behavior but also makes them prone to risk-taking, like trying drugs and alcohol.
Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:23:34 +0000

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs in Your Teenager’s World
Download our Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Guide to learn about the legal drugs (like Miss Emmas, Oxy, Vike, Block Busters, Roofies, etc.) teens are using and abusing.
Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:56:11 +0000

September E-mail: Helping Your Child Handle Mean Girls and Frenemies
Parents! In case you didn’t see our September Parent E-mail, here it is. If you’d like to receive tips, tools and guidance for raising your tween, teen or young adult, please sign up for our monthly parent e-mail. Dear Parents: What makes a good friend? This is something I’ve been discussing a lot lately with my 12-year-old twin daughters, Taylor [...]
Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:30:44 +0000

Does Your Teen Have a Toxic Friend? Use These 20 Questions to Find Out
While most teen friendships have their highs and lows, toxic friends are characterized by consistent patterns of negativity. Yet, the signs of a toxic teen friendship aren't always obvious to teens or their parents. Here are 20 questions to help your child determine if a friendship may be bad for her -- either mentally, physically or both.
Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:53:46 +0000

Parenting Reminder: Kids Often Learn Best When the Going Gets Tough
As I read the articles How to Land Your Kid in Therapy and What if the Secret to Success Is Failure I inwardly groaned. I remember wanting to be "the good mom," wanting to protect my daughters from making my mistakes.
Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:14:41 +0000

Raising Tween Girls and Working at The Partnership at Drugfree.org
As much as she wants to be liked by her girls and their friends she puts her job as mother first and has no issue putting her food down. Taylor and Kendall know that their mom’s primary “job” is to keep them healthy and safe while providing them some of the skills they will need as they grown into teenagers and young adults.
Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:25:11 +0000

Cheering Your Child Up When a Friend Lets Her Down
It always hurts to see a child or teen sad as a result of a friendship that has gone awry. One way to help your teen through a difficult friend breakup is to explain that it's common for young people to change friends often. Perhaps, this particular friend feels more comfortable with different kids than she did in the past. Maybe she wants to hang out with friends whom she thinks are more popular or cool, or something else like that.
Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:55:43 +0000