Those Rocky Moments

A friend recently reminded me to not take things my teen says personally. It was good advice but hard to receive. You can never really be prepared for those sometimes rocky moments that happen between a parent and a teenager. They can come out of nowhere, leaving you to wonder what just happened. In the midst of the chaos however, as a parent there are some things we need to remember. In addition to the advice of not taking things personally, we should also remember these things… Teens sometimes say things they don’t really mean Teens sometimes speak out of … Continue reading

DHEA May Offer Menopause Relief

Menopause can be a troublesome time for many women, but this week, a study showed that a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may offer relief. DHEA is naturally secreted by the adrenal glands. A study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy, found that small doses of DHEA may help ease menopausal symptoms while also helping increase a women’s interest in sex. The results of the study were published in the December issue of Climacteric. In the study, 48 postmenopausal women were divided into four groups: 12 that took vitamin D and calcium (to ward off osteoporosis), 12 … Continue reading

When Should My Child Visit the Orthodontist?

Back when young, many years ago, a child would only visit the orthodontist when he or she was a teenager. At that point, much of the growing was done, and correcting misaligned teeth could involve a lot of pain an effort, including tooth removal and years of braces. Thankfully, technology and techniques in orthodonture have improved greatly since then. There is now an emphasis on a more gentle approach that works with your child’s natural anatomy to make needed corrections. There are devices now that can ease your child’s jaw into a more normal position as he or she grows. … Continue reading

Menopause and Teenage Hormones Don’t Mix

I am starting to feel like I have been dealt a bad hand. Back when I first had my children, I thought the timing of their births was perfect. They were spaced out in a way that really worked. Unfortunately I didn’t give much thought to the future and what would happen when I would find myself having three teenagers at one time. Not only that but throw into the mix of teenage hormones the changes my body has decided to go through and you have quite a combination. I am quickly learning that menopause and teenage hormones don’t mix. … Continue reading

Giving Teens a Mental Health Day

I would like to take credit and say that I came up with the idea of giving teens a mental health day but it was actually a friend of mine. A few years ago, when my children were younger, our church had a special service for the graduating seniors in our youth group. Every year they do something unique and that particular year the seniors had put together a video where they expressed thanks to their parents and how their parents had helped them during high school. My friend’s daughter talked about a stressful time she was going through and … Continue reading

Teenagers Aren’t the Only Ones Who Feel Pressure

Peer pressure is not something that just teenagers deal with. I think parents of teenagers can also feel pressure. Our pressure is a bit different but the way it feels is probably very similar. The pressure parents of teenagers have is related to the balance between parenting the way the world dictates and parenting the way we think is best. I have learned over the years of being a parent that not every decision I make will be appreciated. I’m not even talking about my children accepting my decisions. I am referring to decisions that I make as a parent … Continue reading

Bonding with Teenage Daughters

She’s 13 years old. She ignores me when her friends are around. She doesn’t laugh at my jokes, and has officially informed me that I am tone-deaf. Still she is the most important girl in my life. She is my daughter. We bonded immediately after she was born; probably even before that. We have always spent as much time together as possible, but as she get’s older, I find that I need to be more creative in finding reasons to bond. Fortunately, I think she is being creative too. For Christmas, my daughter purchased a manicure set and allowed me … Continue reading

Cursing as Pain Management

Have a foul mouth? It might actually benefit you when it comes to pain management. A study from Keele University in England took a look at how an outburst of swearing can help people deal with pain. Sixty-seven college students took part in the initial study. First, they were asked for their five favorite curses — things they might say after accidentally whacking a thumb with a hammer. I know what I’d say in that situation, and it’s not pretty! The students were then asked to hold one hand in icy water for as long as they could bear it. … Continue reading

Ask a Health Blogger: Weak Leg

I was out walking yesterday, and my leg started to feel weird. Kind of achy, kind of weak, kind of tingly. It continued to bother me for the rest of the day. Whether standing or sitting, I still had that weird pain and numbness. What do you think this is? Should I call my doctor? Thanks for your question! I’m not a doctor, so please don’t take my word as law. But I did run your symptoms through the WebMD online symptom checker and one of the possibilities it came up with was a pinched nerve. A pinched nerve is … Continue reading

Baby Blog Month in Review: August 2008

Isn’t it crazy the way babies grow so quickly? It seems that you just get used to one stage and boom they are already into another. Tonight, were busy getting the household all set for my eldest child’s first day of second grade. My two younger ones are excited and want to start school, too. It will be a busy month. Don’t worry about the missing last week of blogs. I’ve gotten quite a few questions about where I have been. The Baby Blog tends to go on hiatus the last week of the month. That may change in the … Continue reading