Blog

It’s common to hear parents lamenting that their teens don’t recognize or respect their authority anymore. But just what is parental authority and why is it important? In simple terms, parental authority refers to the rights and obligations that parents have that lets...

Addiction, whether to gambling, alcohol, drugs, shopping, etc., can be detrimental to someone’s well-being. Left unchecked, it can wreak havoc with a person’s life, affecting their health, finances, academics and family. But what about healthy addictions? Are they ok...

A recent study has shown that while teenage sexual activity has gone down overall in the U.S., one-third of high school students (equally male and female) are engaging in sexual activity. And with hormones running rampant, teenage girls can discover they can use their...

We all wish that we could just make life easy for our children. We would make sure everything goes smoothly, they never have to truly struggle and nothing hurts them. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Sadly it doesn’t work that way and our teenagers will have to face a number...

No matter what event led to your becoming a step parent (divorce, death, prior birth outside of wedlock), it's a major adjustment for everyone involved. Any time you take a group of people and blend them into a family, to call it a challenge is a big understatement....

The connection between physical fitness and better mental health is becoming common knowledge. But when faced with your teen’s depression, it can be hard to believe something so simple as a lack of physical fitness could really impact your teen to such a great extent....

Authority is a tricky thing. As a parent you absolutely have to have it. As a teen they absolutely have to challenge it. Too little causes chaos. Too much causes distrust. Figuring out the balance of authority is a constant challenge in a parent-teen relationship, and...

Approximately 20 percent of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood. 30 percent of teens with depression will also develop a substance abuse problem, and more teens and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth...

Family dynamics are how your family interacts and relates with one another. While no two families are the same, there are patterns common in every family. Your teenager's self-perception and viewpoint of the world is influenced a great deal by your family's dynamics,...

Sometimes talking with our kids can spiral way out of control. You walk into a discussion trying to ask your teen to do something and suddenly you’re both shouting. You both leave the conversation upset and furious and nothing productive happened. Here are some tips...

Parents of teens worry about substance abuse - it just comes with the territory. Teens are getting involved with drugs and alcohol at much younger ages, and even if they don’t get involved with drugs or alcohol in high school there is still a significant risk of them...

Adolescents are good manipulators for many reasons. They want attention. They want love. They also want to protect themselves when they have done something wrong. According to psychologist and author David Swanson, adolescents want to figure out the consequences of...

Positive outside influences, also known as good role models, can be a lifesaver for your troubled teen. While there are many stars, sports figures, and actors that teens may consider as role models, most of them want someone who is easily accessible. This can be a...

Though conflicting studies argue whether the opioid epidemic is trending higher or lower among teens, certainly opiate abuse plagues the U.S. overall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports opioids cause over 60 percent of overdose deaths, with heroin...

The job of parenting is one that is both incredibly difficult and intensely personal. It’s sometimes funny to see how overwhelmed we can become, but unwilling or embarrassed to ask for help. After all, they’re OUR kids, right? It’s true that they’re OUR kids and that...