Hot Topics

Internet Safety – a balance between rules and education

2007-06-27T09:27:00Z

Relief from the heat used to mean trudging off with friends for a cool dip in the pool. For today’s kids, it’s as least as likely to mean sitting in an air-conditioned house while venturing into cyberspace. The internet opens up a world of opportunity for kids -- and also presents serious parenting challenges. As a whole, kids need a healthy balance of constructive activity, exercise, free time, and social contact – live and in person -- with their peers. It’s likely that they’ll...(read more)

Fearful Kids Can Learn to Love Swimming

2007-05-23T04:57:00Z

Summer’s almost here, and you’ve decided it’s time for your child to learn to swim. If you’ve got a natural fish on your hands, sit back and enjoy the fun. But if your child is more conservative and fearful about trying new things, be prepared to get creative....(read more)

Talking to Your Child about Casual Sex

2007-05-02T02:56:00Z

Knowing that sexual activity carries with it the risk of HIV and cervical cancer, along with a host of other sexually transmitted diseases, it can be literally life-saving to talk with kids about sex. ...(read more)

THE MAGNETIC ATTRACTION OF HEAVY METAL

2007-04-11T18:10:00Z

The music pounds aggressively from the speakers in your teenager's bedroom. The assault of sound inspires visions of head banging and mosh pits. Even more, it generates concern for the young adult you’re raising. What is the attraction to these sounds that seem so much a symbol of alienation? Is it simply about rebellion? Not precisely – although the opportunity to just be “bad” in a harmless way feels good. Is it a sign of depression? A threat of violence?...(read more)

Mommy, Daddy -- Can I Have It?

2006-12-12T13:48:00Z

The best planned holiday moments can suddenly fall apart into tears and tantrums, but a little forward thinking can prevent momentary disappointments from ruining an entire day. Here’s how to prevent your holiday bubble from bursting over your children’s exuberant cries of “Mommy, Daddy, I want that!” · Put yourself in their shoes. Of course kids want the delightful things they see advertised on television and winking through enticing...(read more)

Are Your Kids Overprogrammed?

2006-11-17T14:01:00Z

We seem to measure everything these days. We measure kids by their percentiles on the growth chart, how many words they can say by what age, how early they read, their test scores, their grades, the number of sports teams they’re on – We measure parents, too. How many activities are your kids involved in? Are they on the honor roll? Are they “popular?” Do you attend every practice and every game? Do you pay extra for private lessons? In fact, we...(read more)

With A New Study Every Day, What's A Parent To Do?

2006-11-09T19:12:00Z

With RSS feeds, notifications by email and to cell phones, podcasts, television, and radio, news gets out fast these days. The trouble is that because new information is reported so quickly, it is often almost immediately contradicted by a subsequent announcement....(read more)

Media Mastery: Commercials Are Great Teachers!

2006-11-03T10:59:00Z

In this “information age,” it’s not only adults who are bombarded with words and images. Kids are surrounded by artfully crafted advertising messages that look like fact to them. Whether it’s a political campaign or a commercial for a new weight loss product, learning how to sort out fact from embellishment is a survival skill that kids need....(read more)

“PHARM PARTIES” and the Rise in Prescription Drug Abuse

2006-10-13T15:23:00Z

If you hear your teen or young adult mention a “pharm” party, perhaps a bonfire and an illicit keg come to mind. Think again! "Pharm" is short for pharmaceutical; “pharm parties” reflect a rapidly growing trend in youth drug culture: the abuse of prescription drugs by teens and young adults. ...(read more)

The ABC’s of Baby Sign Language

2006-10-10T09:42:00Z

Baby Sign Language? What’s that??? You may have never thought twice about the use of sign language by families with hearing-impaired members, have you ever thought of using it with a baby who has normal hearing?...(read more)

New Teleseminar Recording: Internet Safety

2006-09-28T17:54:00Z

The recording of a recent teleseminar, Internet Safety: What Every Parent Needs to Know, is now posted for online parent center members. Log in to access this mp3 file from your Parent HomePage. ...(read more)

Know The Statistics On Teen Drivers

2006-09-28T17:45:00Z

Why do teens have such a high crash rate? What factors increase the rate of crashes? What can parents do? ...(read more)

Graduated License Driving Contract

2006-09-28T12:50:00Z

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among American teenagers, killing between 5,000 and 6,000 teenagers every year for the past decade. ...(read more)

The Crocodile Hunter: Helping Children Say Goodbye

2006-09-06T19:55:00Z

Among the wondrous things about children are their abilities to trust and to bounce back from the losses life brings their way. Children who watched “The Crocodile Hunter” have been touched by the tragic death of Steve Irwin and may need some help to process it....(read more)

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE: Building Community

2006-08-30T20:14:00Z

If there’s one sure thing in the life of a parent, it’s that you can’t be with your child every minute of every day. Even if that were possible, it wouldn’t be healthy for either of you. Parents and children need time apart and space to grow. But it’s impossible to listen to the news each day and not worry about the safety of your children. So what can you do to keep them safe when you’re not around? With suburban life, job transfers, the reality of both parents working outside...(read more)