Sidelined By Summer Sports: Injuries That Keep Kids Benched

After a tournament soccer game last summer, tween Eric Blair’s foot hurt so much he couldn’t walk back to the car. Mom Michelle Blair rushed him to an urgent care facility near their home in Portland, Ore., where he was diagnosed with Sever’s disease, an inflammation of the heel growth plate. “The

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Helping Your Teen Resist Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is a reality of growing up. Though it's out of our control as parents, there are things we can do to support our teen and help her successfully navigate the peer-pressure pitfalls. First, talk with your teen and help them set healthy boundaries on using drugs, drinking, having sex or

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5 Strategies for Effectively Communicating with Your Teen

It’s no secret that the relationship between a mother and her daughter is typically a complicated one. Moms often get a clue they’re in for a wild ride the first time they see their little girl emotionally stomped on by another child or they catch a glimpse of their own insecurities in the eyes of t

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Get Your Teen Volunteering During National Volunteer Month

The slowly-recovering economy has been especially hard on teens who count on minimum wage jobs to cover expenses and provide experience. The jobs are fewer, and adults who can’t find employment have stepped in to work positions traditionally held by teens. While it won’t bring in spending money, vo

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College Planning: The Benefits of Extracurricular Activities for Teens

With college acceptance letters arriving for high school seniors this month, sophomores and juniors are thinking about the extracurricular activities they’ll be putting down on their own college applications. Spring is a good time to make plans for summer and beyond, and to enjoy the activities they

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7 Tips for Helping Teens with Weight and Body Image Issues

Deciding how to approach a weight or body image issues deserves careful attention when it involves young people. How you handle the topic can have serious and lifelong implications. 7 tips for helping your teen with weight or body image issues: 1. Make changes for the whole family. If you want you

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Handling Sexual Harassment at School: Are They Doing Enough?

It could be a text message that starts a rumor. Or maybe a name — “You’re gay” — yelled across a soccer field. Or an unwanted touch as two students pass in the hallway. Around the time the news was covering sexual harassment allegations against then-candidate Herman Cain, a lesser-known but importa

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Helping Your Teen Cope with Grief

As children become adults, they will undoubtedly have to deal with the death of someone close.  It may be a teacher, a friend's parent, someone in their own family, or even a friend. Though teens may seem mature enough to handle death, they often have a difficult time processing it, especially if t

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