The Partnership for a Drug-free America
December 2009 – Decoder - Breaking down teen culture, substance abuse, and parenting

The Holidays: A Great Time to Teach Our Kids about Helping Others

Dec 10, 2009 by Joe Keenan | Categories Advice, General, High School, Middle School, Teenagers

I recently met a mom who felt her four kids didn’t appreciate how good they have it – so she is taking them to a soup kitchen this week. She’s hoping that doing community service will give them a greater perspective on the world, help them appreciate what they have, and get a chance to find out how good it feels when they help someone else.

These are good messages for teens. Why not consider asking your child to help out in your community? Help him or her find a focus — something that is meaningful to him personally, rather than an obligation to fulfill. This could spark an interest in a certain cause or organization, which will allow him to feel his impact on the world.

Here’s one 15-year-old’s experience on getting involved in community service – and her tips for other teens who want to make a difference.

If your son or daughter is already doing community service – be it for his resume, a school requirement or the kindness in his heart – ask your teen to reflect upon it. What does he like or dislike about it? What has he learned? How does it make him feel?

When your teen spends time and energy working on a cause she feels passionate about, she gets to see and feel her impact on the world. She also gets some great practice at planning and thinking ahead, both of which for teens (and their developing brain), is always a good idea.

  • Posted by: Joe Keenan | 1 Comment(s)
    Share this : del.icio.us del.icio.us |  Digg Digg |  FaceBook Facebook  |  Newsvine Newsvine

Obsessed with Being Connected: The Downside of Social Networking for Teens

Dec 3, 2009 by Guest Blogger: Neil Bernstein | Categories Advice, Communicating, General, Setting Limits, Teenagers, Tweens

There’s a rapidly growing anxiety among teens.  It’s all about being constantly connected and how feeling out of the loop is — well, torturous.  And it’s no laughing matter.

Many teens I talk to feel compelled to check Facebook constantly and respond to email and text messages immediately — no matter where they are and what they’re doing.  So much so, that the thought of being out of touch with friends has become a full-blown fear.   A 15-year-old girl recently confessed that she sleeps with her cell phone so that she won’t miss a text.   A 16-year-old boy tells me that he can’t bear to turn off his computer for a few hours while he studies for a test because he might miss something “important” happening with his friends.  And a middle schooler confided that despite her parent’s restrictions, she races to her computer after they have gone to sleep.  It’s a connection frenzy alright, fueled by peer pressure and a fear of being alone.

Despite the documented benefits of social networking, there is a dangerous downside.  (More…)

  • Posted by: Guest Blogger: Neil Bernstein | 3 Comment(s)
    Share this : del.icio.us del.icio.us |  Digg Digg |  FaceBook Facebook  |  Newsvine Newsvine