Adolescence

So your teenager is behind the wheel

June 9, 2011 By admin

You have dreaded the day that your son or daughter gets behind the wheel of a vehicle for their first drive by themselves. You will want to make sure that your teenager has all of the proper training before you let them take the wheel for their very first drive.

First of all, enroll them into a drivers education course. You can check with your local DMV office or check with the high school that they are or will be attending. Make schools offer this course as an elective as has little to no cost to you. This will give your teenager a great foundation for the road ahead. They will be taught the basics of driving safety and prepare them to take and pass the driving test to be able to obtain their drivers license.

Once they have their driver’s permit, which most states give at 15 years of age, or their actual license make sure to allow them to drive under your supervision. There is nothing like parental advice and supervision to help make a new driver feel comfortable.

Finally, set some ground rules. Let your teenager know up front what is and isn’t allowed. Let them know when they are allowed to use the vehicle, how far and where they can go, and who is allowed in the vehicle with them. By setting boundaries, you let them know up front that there are consequences for breaking the rules and your teenager will be more responsible when it comes to driving.

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: Adolescence, Driver's education, Driver's license

Raising a teenager

June 1, 2011 By admin

Two adolescent couples at the 2009 Western Ida...

Image via Wikipedia

Raising a teenager can be a daunting task. Most teenagers will tell you that they know everything there is to know about life. However, it is your job to help them realize otherwise. Teenagers need to continue to be guided by their parents whether they like it or not. Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

First and foremost, listen to your teenager. Listening and paying attention to your teenage gives them someone to talk to when they have questions. Just think, if you are listening to them and giving them advice, who is?

Be their parent, not their friend. Some parents want to be their teenagers best friend. This can create problems by allowing the teenager to not listen to their parent. Your child needs to be given clear responsibilities and disciplined. If you are acting like their best friend, then you will have a very rebellious teenager.

Be firm with your teenager, but not overbearing. Give your child rules to follow and consequences for not following the rules. Make sure their are clear cut guidelines and not just rules that you make up as you go. Children want the feeling of protection and comfort from their parents and a routine and rules to follow will help them later in life as well as help you control your teen now.

With different parenting styles out there, there is no right or wrong way to be a parent. Just make sure that you raise the best child that you can with the circumstances that are given to you.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Child, Parent

How To Tell If Your Teen Is Taking Drugs

May 29, 2011 By admin

Many parents struggle with the fact that their teen might be doing drugs. There are many signs to look out for. The first one is change in behavior. There are many different kinds of behaviors that are a result of drug use. Keep an eye out for strange behaviors such as your teen wearing long sleeves all the time. This can mean they are trying to hide needle marks on their arms. If they have just been out with friends and they avoid all eye contact, this can mean they are trying to hide bloodshot eyes. Being sneaky and suspicious are very common behaviors when someone is doing drugs.

You may want to keep a record of all the different kinds of strange behaviors or behavior changes your teen might have. Keep an eye out to see if your teen is stealing money or other valuable possessions. When someone has a drug problem they need a lot of money to pay for it. Also keep an eye out for where their own money goes.

Another sign of drug use is if your teen looks different. Rapidly gaining or loosing weight, poor hygiene, fatigue, bloodshot eyes, and dilated pupils are all signs of drug use. Extreme changes in behavior are common as well such as being happy and hyper one minute and tired and moody the next. Sickness is very common as well. If your teen appears to be sick more than usual, this could be a sign of drug use. Simply talk to your teen and let them know about the dangers of drug use.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Behavior, Mydriasis

Apartment Decoration: Tips for Teens

May 25, 2011 By admin

Image by rachel sian via Flickr

When it comes to a teen apartment, less is really more. Teens are busy and they do not have a lot of time that they are going to invest in cleaning up their space. So simple ideas for decorating a teen apartment are the best way to go.

If your teen is obsessed with their favorite color than decorating can be as simple as having the bed spread, curtains and some basic wall decor all be the color that they love.

If they love music, their Cd’s and sheet music can be the artwork that is on the walls. If they love sports, then a few posters with their favorite athletes on them will work as well.

Is your teen a diva or glamour girl? Then using glittery fabrics and throw pillows can make her feel like she is already made it big in Hollywood, including the star that is on her door and the director’s chair that sits at her vanity.

Once you choose a theme, your imagination makes it easy to start brainstorming some great decorative ideas. While creating your fabulous decor, remember that education and other activities are still going to play an important role in their lives, so you want to make sure that there is a space to write, study and use a computer. Sometimes creating different areas for activities can help set the mood too. A corner that is for reading with their favorite books and beanbag can give them a change of pace after staying up late to write an essay.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Adolescence, Hollywood, Sheet music

Preparing Your Teen For College

May 12, 2011 By admin

Miniature Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches P...

Image by Aminimanda via Flickr

The earlier you help prepare your teen for college the better. Many teens struggle when they go from home to college life because they have not always taken on as much responsibility as they need to in order to be fully prepared to be one their own.

A great way that you can help your teen be prepared for college life is to encourage then to hold a summer job, and if they can maintain their GPA and other activities, even consider having it part-time during the school year. Having a way to make money will help teach them the value of work and budgeting their money early. When they see that a dollar does not go all that far, they will eventually learn to manage their resources better and value what a college education will help them accomplish income wise.

Teaching your teen how to cook basic meals will also help them budget better in college as well as keep themselves fed. When they can cook rather than ordering pizza or eating out all the time, they will be able to save more money and maybe even impress a date or two.

Insisting that your teen help save up for their college education will help them determine that it is valuable to them since they too are investing in it. They will know that everything is not just handed to them in life, if it is worth having then it must be worked for. This also teaches them about setting goals and using restraint until they reach their financial goals.

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: Adolescence, Budget, Higher education

Teen Apartment Ideas

May 4, 2011 By admin

Image via Wikipedia

Whether it’s time for your teenager to go to college or your son or daughter has simply decided to get a new place, it may be time for your child to move into an apartment. Here are some teen apartment ideas and tips to help you, and your teen, with the process.

Finding an Apartment

Atlanta apartments for rent can be the perfect solution for teens heading to college in Georgia. The Atlanta perimeter, demarcated by I-285, will give your teen the choice of in-town or suburban neighborhoods.

Your teen should also consider transportation options. Young adults who don’t have a car may need to look into the local transportation system.

Choose the type of neighborhood that fits your teen’s personality. Some teens may prefer an area with a vibrant nightlight to quieter neighborhoods.

Start looking early and check back regularly. You may be able to negotiate rental prices on a unit that has been vacant for a while.

Get boxes from stores and use large trash bags for moving goods. Choose boxes that will be easy to carry once your teen has packed them.

Setting up the Apartment

Help your teen set a budget based on his or her income.

Furnish the apartment with existing furniture or look for furniture deals. Search local discount stores or charity-sponsored shops that sell second-hand goods.

Decorate wisely by emphasizing space with blue or green backgrounds. Add warm tones with yellow or orange.

Your teen will always remember his or her first apartment. With your help, your child can create the perfect place to call home.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Adolescence, Apartment, Georgia

Dealing With Your Teens Drinking

May 4, 2011 By admin

Image by Fernando Ariotti via Flickr

Many parents are not sure what to do when they find out that their teen is drinking underage. They don’t want to make a mistake that will cause their child long-term side-effects, or that will encourage them to rebel and to drink even more.

Luckily for parents, they are not alone on this issue. There are many different forms of support networks that they can rely on so that they can work together with their teen on this problem.

When it comes to alcohol, it is easy to become addicted. Getting your teen into an addiction recovery course can help them look at the root of why they are choosing to drink. It can also give them the tools and support that they need to stop drinking. There are also groups and programs that many churches have to help parents as well.

It is important to address the issue and start dealing with it before your teen ends up in the court system, and then ultimately in juvenile detention or even jail. Having firm boundaries in place from the time that they are young is the best approach, but if your already dealing with a drinking teen, then you want to get as much support as you can.

Making it harder for them to access alcohol in your home and setting firm limits is a great start, but getting them into a 12 week program with Alcoholics Anonymous may be the best thing that you can do for them right now.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Alcoholics Anonymous, Parent

Teen Drunk Driving

April 13, 2011 By admin

Image via Wikipedia-sourced BAC levels

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of youth deaths, aged 15 to 20 years. Many families are torn apart by death, but even more so when it’s a drunken teen behind the wheel. The social peer pressure on many teens today to drink and party with their peers is enormous, even as young as 14. The best way to avoid teen drinking and driving is to educate young adults about the dangers and risks involved in drunk driving. MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving)(MADD Colorado Recognizes Crime Victims’ Rights Week with Celebration of Life Candlelight Vigil (prnewswire.com)) is a program that visits schools and gives seminars about the dangers and horrors of losing a loved teen to a drunken accident. . A teen driven counter-part of this group is SADD(Students Against Destructive Decisions) The student driven program involves teens that teach their peers about the after effects and risks of destructive decisions, such as drunk driving. Many times, these school programs include video’s of interviews of families that have lost a loved one, or speeches by such family members, or even survivors of such horrific accidents that are permanently crippled. Live re-enactments of accidents with students watching, and even donated wrecks of the cars teens were driving are often volunteered/donated(seeProsthetic Life Lessons – The Latest MADD Campaign Gets Up Close and Personal (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)), hoping to make an impact and encourage teens to not get behind the wheel while drinking, and not to drink in the first place.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Driving under the influence, Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Drinking Problems among Teenagers

March 5, 2011 By admin

Teenage drinking is a rapidly growing problem.The with a 20% increase in teenagers that are being admitted to the hospital for accidents that are related to drinking then there was 5 years ago. Despite all the efforts by government to bring a decrease in teen drinking there has not been any changes. These totals amount to 20 teens being admitted for serious drinking conditions.

Retailers offer cheap alcohol and that has contributed to the increase in teenage drinking that is sweeping across the nation. Teenagers have been pushed to drink more on the streets because the clubs have had to crack down on selling to underage people. There is more teenagers drinking on the streets but it is harder for police to be able to track the drinking. The police are doing more to confiscate alcohol of those that are underage. Teenagers are also being educating in their school about the health risks that can happen from drinking to much.

Out of all the age groups teenagers are the most likely ones to binge drink. The government has used advertising towards drinking of teenagers but it has not had any impact so far. These advertisements have shown people drinking so much that they think they are a superhero. These superheroes can climb tall buildings and have no harm done to them.The campaigns have still had only a minor impact on teen drinking.

The teenager who engages in teen drinking is putting their health at risk at a early age. A parent should take steps to prevent this from becoming a even more serious problem. This could lead to the teenager getting into some serious trouble.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Binge drinking, Legal drinking age

The Importance of testing for Drug Abuse in Teens

February 26, 2011 By admin

During 2008, a monitoring the future survey was conducted in America. It showed that 47% of teens before they finished high school had tried an illicit drug. Many schools have implemented a drug testing program to detect drug abuse and its abusers. They will even recommend a treatment program if necessary.

A young child that is not yet reached a level of maturity is more vulnerable to abuse drugs. The attraction is in the assumed benefits that the drugs have. They do not look at any of the negative effects that the drug abuse carries. There are certain factors that make a child more prone to use drugs. The most widely abused drug among teens is marijuana. Statistics have shown that 42.7 % of teens have tried marijuana by the time that they have graduated from high school.

Many parents are concerned about the possibility of their teenager using drugs. The parent wants to protect them until the teenager becomes mature enough to be able to make wise decisions on their own. Teens may feel that their parents do not trust them if the parent decides to do a home drug test on them. They may be afraid of a punishment being enforced if the test comes back that they are using. One great advantage of a at home drug test is that usage can be detected early and treatment seeked if necessary.

Some schools have a random drug testing program in place. The use of drugs effects the learning and teaching environment of the school. If a student is recognized as a drug user they can then be handed over by the school and their parents to a program for help. The type of test and method that the school uses for testing will vary by school depending on the needs of the school.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Drug test, Substance abuse