Tag Archives: alcoholism

Teaching Teens About Friendships

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about teenage cliques and how painful they can be. That blog was spurred by my daughter not getting invited to a birthday party. At the time I encouraged her to ask her friend about it. I really didn’t want her to assume the worst but she did. Just a couple of days ago she announced that she was no longer mad at her friend. As it turned out, she had the invitation but kept forgetting to give it to my daughter. In her world everything was fine again. It bothered me, however. One … Continue reading →

Depression- part 2

Yesterday we looked at dealing with depression and what you can do if your spouse is suffering from depression. Here are some more thoughts on the subject. Don’t be afraid to get professional help. Too often people can be embarrassed or made to feel they should be able to deal with things. This is especially true in Christian circles. There seems to be an idea that Christians should never suffer depression because they are Christian. That is not recognizing that depression is a medical condition, an illness that needs treating. So find a psychologist who can help you. If you … Continue reading →

Dealing with Depression

Depression is a serious problem in society. It is the most common of all metal health problems, yet it is one that is not talked about nearly as often as it should be. Statistics tell us one in five people will suffer from depression at some stage in their lives. You or your spouse or someone in your family could be a likely candidate for depression. So what can you do if your spouse or someone in your family suffers from depression? Firstly, you and your spouse or the person who has depression need to realize that depression in an … Continue reading →

Alhohol Abuse in Single-Parent Teens

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Studies have shown that children who are raised in single parent households are at a higher risk of developing alcohol-related problems. This could possibly be due to low supervision, inconsistent discipline, poor communication, or conflicts within the family. Teens with the highest risk of developing alcoholism are girls, those who begin drinking prior to age 14, and those with a parent who suffers from alcohol-related problems. Alcohol contributes to a number of problems, including an inability to pay attention, the risk for developing alcoholism, car-related deaths, higher risk for suicide, greater possibility of engaging in unprotected sex or sex with … Continue reading →

When Does Self Expression Go Too Far?

When has a teenager gone too far when it comes to self expression? Is it possible for a teenager to step over the line or should a teen be able to express themselves however they wish? These are questions I have been thinking about lately. Last Monday I treated my now 13-year-old daughter to a trip to the mall. I did a lot of reminiscing, particularly when we were sitting in the food court. I spent a good deal of time just observing the people around me. The mall is filled with teenagers. I remember hanging out there when I … 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 →

Parenting Without Regrets

This weekend my husband and I enjoyed a night of hanging out with friends. A bunch of us get together once-a-month to share a light Bible study, eat, talk and laugh. I always walk away from these times feeling so refreshed. This particular time I walked away not only feeling refreshed but feeling very inspired. The study was on endurance and one of the questions posed to us was, “What is something in your life that you can say you don’t have regrets about?” I really liked that question. Sometimes we focus too much on the regrets in our life … Continue reading →

Cell Phones Can Be a Safety Measure

On one of my past blogs, Letting Children Grow Up Too Fast, I received a number of comments. I really appreciated hearing all the feedback and discovering that I am not alone in having a child who wants to be older than he is. One of the comments made raised a good point about the use of cell phones. A reader referred to cell phones as being a safety feature. I completely agree with this. In fact, I have heard even Dr. Phil defend parents who give their children cell phones for that very reason. I like to have access … Continue reading →

Should Parents Snoop on Their Teens?

Do you think parents should snoop on their teens? I think this is a topic not talked about but one that is definitely thought about. Some people might think this is an invasion of privacy. Others believe that if they live under your roof, they are subject to invasion. I will readily admit that I snoop on my teens. I do it for a few reasons. First, I do it to know what is going on. While I would like to believe that my children will share everything going on in their lives, I know it is unlikely. This is … Continue reading →

I Guess I’m Not That Cool

Apparently I have been delusional in some of my thinking. I have been convinced that for a mom I am pretty cool. I text, I have a Facebook account and I enjoy loud music. I have always felt somewhat connected to my children’s world and honestly, have always felt welcomed. When my oldest son was in middle school, he had no problem being seen with me. I am very easy to talk to and his friends would enjoy having conversations with me. He didn’t mind when I showed up at his school, he would walk with me down the hallway … Continue reading →