A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 6): What To Do If You Think Your Child Might Be Using Drugs Warning Signs – Since mood swings and unpredictable behavior are frequent occurrences for preteens and teenagers, parents may find it difficult to spot signs of alcohol and drug abuse. But if your child starts to exhibit one […]
A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 5): How to Teach Your Child About Drugs Preschoolers – It may seem premature to talk about drugs with preschoolers, but the attitudes and habits that they form at this age have an important bearing on the decisions they will make when they’re older. At this early age, they […]
A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 4): Your Child’s Perspective Understandably, some parents of drug users think that their child might have been pressured into taking drugs by peers or drug dealers. But children say they choose to use drugs because they want to: relieve boredom feel good forget their troubles and relax have fun […]
A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 3): Talking With Your Children Effectively As soon as your child begins to talk, the questions come: “Why is the grass green?” “What’s wrong with that man sitting in the park?” If you show your child that you’re ready to give answers at any time, even if the topics […]
A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 2): Laying the Groundwork We, as parents, are the most important role models in our children’s lives. What we say and do about drugs matters a lot when it comes to the choices our children make. We can: set a positive example and get involved in our children’s lives; […]
A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 1): Introduction When most parents talk about drugs, they voice some of their greatest fears and concerns. And their apprehension is well justified: Drug addiction can destroy your relationships and family life and can harm or even kill you. Unfortunately, as the general public began to feel that the […]
In the movie, Gandhi, there is a scene in which Gandhi’s wife refuses to clean the latrine. That duty is one which is shared by members of the community – no exceptions. She asks Gandhi why he wants her, his wife, to do such menial work. “It’s not me, it’s the principle,” he says. She […]
Creating Together Time Simply being in the same place at the same time with a teen can be a struggle. Teens have countless enticing ways to spend time without you — from their peers to the mall to any of their multiple screens — but there are many activities you can share, as well as ways […]
Written by Amoreena Berg, LMFT, Site Director for Adolescent Counseling Services. Starting simple is the best way to be successful with teaching mindfulness to kids. For example, an adult who begins learning meditation may start off with 15 minutes of meditation a day, for a child it would be better to start off with 5 […]
Most doctors agree that stress contributes to nearly every known disease or condition. Today’s lifestyles and work habits, including long hours, increased commitments and less down time, make managing stress a trying task. Our teenagers are overbooked, overwhelmed and yet driven to succeed. Primary sources of tension include academic pressure, relationship difficulties with peers, conflicts […]
