Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Sue Scheff: The Reality of Teen Pregnancy


Teen pregnancy in the United States is a serious concern.


The US has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births of any industrialized country.1/3 of all US teenage girls will become pregnant.


This equals to roughly 750,000 each year! Unmarried teenage mothers rarely finish high school; in fact, 2/3 do not.Children born to teenage mothers are more likely to suffer from low birth weight and other medical problems.


They are also more likely to develop learning disabilities and mental disorders as they reach their teenage years.The facts are real. Our sons and daughters live in a generation plagued by these statistics, and it is up to us as parents make a change.


Find out more about Teen Pregnancy.




Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Sue Scheff: Cyberbullying is becoming a major problem among teens


More and more news articles, media and others are finally taking Cyberbullying seriously. As both a victim and survivor of being abused in Cyberspace - I know first hand how important this subject is.


Kids today need to be aware of what lingers online as well as take precautions not to feed into Cyberbullys and their tactics of invading a child's privacy.


As a parent, you can take steps to protect your kids online. Know what they are doing and where they are going in Cyberspace. It is almost as important as knowing where they are going when they leave your house! Take Cyberspace seriously!


A recent news article by the Associated Press is one of many that are bringing this awareness to parents.


I always encourage parents to consider Reputation Defender MyChild to help protect your children online, especially in the social networking sites such as MySpace and others.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Sue Scheff: Teenagers Cutting Themselves by Connect with Kids

The Enemy Inside
It's hard to understand teenagers cutting themselves, but kids do deliberately burn, scratch and cut themselves until they bleed. Even the kids involved with teenage cutting can’t tell you why it makes them feel better... at least for the moment. They can tell you that it’s addictive and scary.

“Cutting” is the most popular form of self-injury today, and it is on the rise among adolescents. Teenagers cutting themselves is a sign of emotional pain but it can also lead to major physical injury... and even death in some cases. The addictive nature of this condition allows it to spin quickly out of control.


How can you help prevent teenage cutting?


The first step is communication, but talking about teenage cutting isn’t easy.
The Enemy Inside can help. Compelling true stories from kids who struggle with self-injury will help explain why kids do it, why they want to stop – and so often why they can’t. You’ll also hear expert advice for parents, teachers and counselors, on how to help prevent this kind of self-harm cutting and how to suggest healthier alternatives.


Order your copy of The Enemy Inside to learn what you need to know about teenagers cutting themselves and to see why Connect with Kids programs have been shown to improve youth behavior and increase communication between parents and children.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The Secret Life of Kids: What Your Kids Are Doing Shouldn’t Be a Mystery


Who’s pressuring your kids? Who’s offering them alcohol or drugs? Who’s talking to them on the Internet? Whether we’re teachers, parents, counselors…sometimes we just don’t know what’s really going on in a child’s life. If you want to talk to your kids about the challenges they face, but aren’t sure what to say, our programs will help…with real kids sharing their true stories, and advice from experts, educators and parents who have “been there.”



Click here for a fantastic educational resource to help you help your kids!
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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Loving Your Kids is Easy - Parenting Teenagers is Hard.


By Connect with Kids


Parents today face very real and sometimes frightening concerns about their children’s lives. As they get older, your kids have their own interests, problems, even their own language. So what's the key to parenting?


You could buy a book…but your child probably won’t read it. You could search the Internet for advice, and ask other parents. Those are good options, but there's one that's even better for parenting teenagers: reality-based DVDs for kids and parents to watch and learn together. Parents don’t typically think of buying a DVD to help them with the issues their children or a problem teenager faces, but this is powerful positive television programming produced by the Emmy® award-winning Connect With Kids team.


Build Your Own Library


We have a complete library of half-hour programs devoted to parenting teenagers and kids, all related to social, emotional and physical health. These aren’t lectures or scare tactics strictly about how to deal with a problem teenager; they’re true stories of real kids facing issues like drugs, drinking, STDs, obesity, racism, peer pressure, body image, bullying, and more.


These powerful stories are unscripted, unrehearsed and told in kids’ own words, so your children will easily relate to them without feeling defensive, embarrassed, pressured or talked down to. The kids' stories are supported with interviews and advice from leading child specialists, health experts, educators and counselors.


Watching together is a great way to start talking with your kids. Each 30-minute video is only $19.95, and comes with a Viewing Guide with facts, suggested conversation starters and professional advice. To order, visit our products page.


As a Parent Advocate, Connect with Kidsoffers a great number of informational articles, DVD's, video's and more to help parents understand today's kids.