Teens: Drinking and Driving

It is a new year and a good time to revisit our contracts with our teenagers.  In a December 27, 2012 article in the New York Times, Drinking, Driving, Teenagers and New Year's Eve, Dave Melton, director of global safety for Liberty International, stated that this is a good "time for parents to revisit the contract they may have had in place with their teenager regarding drinking, drugs and driving."  For a copy of the contract go to the CDC web site. 
 
Mr. Melton went on to reiterate the importance of teen agers knowing that their parents will pick them up if they have been drinking or the friend driving has been drinking.  He stated, "Recognize that some teenagers will be drinking...Renew your promise to pick up a child anytime, anywhere, no questions asked."   Sadly, relaxed parenting regarding underage drinking seems to contributing to the problem.  

According to the New York Times article, in a study commissioned by Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions of 11th and 12 th grade students, "they found that nearly half of teenagers said they were allowed by their parents to go to parties where alcohol was being served at least rarely, and more than a third said they were allowed to drink when their parents were with them. Slightly less than a third reported being allowed to drink unsupervised."   Let's keep our teenagers safe, and renew your safe driving contract with your teens.

Winter Break and College Prep

Many parents of high school students are wondering what they will do over winter break.  Winter break is a great time for students to spend time with friends and family, but this time could also be used to prepare for college.  An article in TulsaWorld.comTulsaWorld.com stated,  "Whether searching for grants and scholarships, perfecting college application essays, or volunteering, students who put in the extra time and effort improve their chances of nabbing their top choice school."  In addition, the article explains that almost every student qualifies for financial aid so taking time to look for assistance is worth your while.  The article lists several helpful resources for the college application and financial aid process.  To read more, go to:  Winter Break Gives Students Time to Prepare for College.

Internet and Your Child's Future

Can the Internet hurt your child's future?  The Pew Internet Center recently asked this question to parents of teens.  Not surprisingly, most parents said they were concerned.  This issue recently came up because legislators in Europe are considering a policy called "the right to be forgotten" which means that Internet users would be entitled to delete their digital past - giving them a clean slate in the future.  There is nothing like this being proposed in the United States.  

The article in the New York Times, Parents of Teenagers Say They Worry That Online Activities Might Hurt Children in the Future, stated that "the study suggests that parents are concerned about future harm"  and because of this parents are trying to manage their children's social media activities.  About a third of parents in the study said they helped their children with privacy settings.  However, in a survey done with children 12-17 years old, children had very different opinions about giving their parents access to their Facebook page.  Some teens said they blocked their parents from seeing their page and others said they only let their parents see profiles but not status updates.

This is all very concerning and parents need to guide their teens with the complicated social media world.  As many parents agreed, the Internet can hurt their child's future as once something is put on the Internet it is hard to take it away.  We, at Spring Ridge Academy, encourage parents to set boundaries and structures around the Internet to help protect their children's safety now and in the future.  

To read more about this study, go to http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/parents-of-teenagers-say-they-worry-that-online-activities-might-hurt-children-in-the-future/

Teen Rejection and Chronic Disease

A recent article in Time Health and Family, supported a theory we have had at Spring Ridge Academy for long time.  In a study of teenage girls led by Michael Murphy of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, found "targeted rejection, in which students are singled out for taunting or personally rejected by a friend, can have measurable effects on the immune system. If sustained, these changes can increase risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, mental illness and some cancers later in life, even among those considered to be at the top of the teen social hierarchy."

Researchers found that one link seems to connect the chronic teen social stress to a more sensitive immune system triggering an inflammatory state that can damage the brain and body by a near-constant state of anxiety or of feeling threatened.    

At Spring Ridge Academy, we have long believed that the effects of trauma, as well as, social stress and rejection have long term effects on the lives of young women.  This study supports the importance of treatment and stress reduction in young women.  

Spring Ridge Academy - Addressing the Challenging Issues of Teenage Women