Everyday and Serious Issues Teens Face
By Denise Witmer, About.com Guide to Parenting of Adolescents
From getting up in the morning to coming home by curfew at night, today's teen faces many choices and issues. Parents can help their teen traverse this winding path of adolescence by learning about and having resources for these issues. Here parents will find things they need to know - even about things they didn't know they needed to know.
- School Resources and Homework Help
- Acne
- Body Image
- Cars and Driving
- Dating and Relationships
- Depression and Suicide
- Drug Use: Issues and Prevention
- Health Issues and Teen Wellness
- Money Matters
- Teens Online and Plugged In
- Friends, Teen Social Life and Peer Pressure
- Teen Sexuality and Pregnancy
- Working Teens
School Resources and Homework Help
Achieving in school and gaining a love of learning is a major goal for a teen to become a successful adult. While we all get there in our own way, the map is pretty much the same for all of us. Here are some resources you can use to help your teen stay on the right learning path.
- How To Build a Winning Academic and Personal Record
- Dealing with Difficult Teachers
- Quiz: Is Your Young Teen Ready for High School?
- How To Find a Tutor for Your Teen
- How To Set up a Mobile Homework Center
- Tips On Getting Your Teen To Do Their Homework
Acne
Articles and fact sheets on acne prevention and treatment.
Body Image
Body image is forever changing. It is sensitive to your mood swings, physical environment, and your experiences. Learn about it here.
- Parenting Quiz: Does your daughter have a healthy body image?
- 7 Parenting Tips on Shaping a Positive Body Image
- FAQ: Do boys have body image issues too?
- FAQ: How does the media effect body image in teens?
- FAQ: How do I teach my teen media literacy?
Cars and Driving
Driving is one of the biggest responsibilities your teen will have. Help your teenager become a better driver with these tips, information on state laws and how-to resources.
- How To Set the Limits on Driving
- Teaching Teenagers to Drive; A Dos and Don'ts List
- Tips for New Teen Drivers
- Parenting Poll: Who should pay the added insurance?
- What are the statistics of fatal crashes involving teen drivers?
Dating and Relationships
Teen dating tips for teens and their parents. Does your teen want to date? Here are some dating guidelines, a dating quiz, dating tip list and more teen dating resources to help.
- Teen Dating Quiz - Are they friends or are they dating?
- Five Truths about Your Teen and Dating
- Talk to a Teen with Looking for a Date Jitters
Depression and Suicide
Teen depression and suicide articles, resources and links. If you know a teenager who you think is suffering from teen depression, take our teen depression quiz and following along with these resources that can help.
- Teen Depression Quiz: Is your teenager depressed?
- 5 Things You Should Do if You Think Your Teen is Depressed
- How do I know if my teen is depressed? What are the signs?
- Teen Suicide Risk Factors
Drug Use: Issues and Prevention
Drug use and abuse resources for parents who may be dealing with teen drug use and abuse. All teens see some type of drug use or abuse in school or in the media, find resources here to help you talk with your teenager and parent them on the topic of teen drug use.
- Parenting Quiz: Is Your Teenager Using Drugs?
- Things You Can Do to Prevent Your Teen from Taking Drugs
- Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
- Set the Rules Teens and Drug Use
Health Issues and Teen Wellness
Health resources specifically related to teen issues such as hygiene, emotional health, diet, exercise and more. Learn how to be proactive about your tee's health and teach that positive skill to your teen.
- So, your teen wants decorative contacts, huh?
- 3 Reasons to Encourage Your Teen to Do Breast Self Exams
- Ten Signs Your Teenager is Burning Out
- The Basics of Braces
Money Matters
Teens love to learn about money, especially when they can have some to help with the lesson. Here are resources that will help you teach your teen financial responsibility.
- Give an Allowance That Includes Financial Responsibility
- Teens and Taxes - Things Your Teen Needs to Know About Taxes
- Five First-rate Opportunities to Talk Money Sense with Your Teen
- The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens
- Parenting Poll: Would you give your teen their own credit card?
Teens Online and Plugged In
Today's teens are out to prove how really small our world is by showing us how well they are plugged into it. Social networking sites, cell phones, instant messaging and more are integrated into their everyday routine. Today's savvy parent is constantly trying to catch-up. Learn what you need to know about your teen's media devices with these articles.
- How To Oversee Your Teens Blog or Social Networking Page
- 3 Things Parents Need to Tell Their Blogging Teens
- What Parents Need To Know About Teens and Internet Usage
- How To Keep Your Teen From Becoming an Online Porn Star
- Parenting Poll: How often do you check your teen's email?
- What Can You Do To Minimize The Chances Of An Exploiter Victimizing Your Teen?
- Parent - Teen Contract on Internet Safety
- Internet Behavior is Public Behavior
- Myspace Safety: 51 Tips for Teens And Parents
- Text Messages Keep Teens From Sleeping
Friends, Teen Social Life and Peer Pressure
Friendships are important. They help teens learn coping skills, give our teens confidence and more. But when your teen's friends put on the pressure to do things you wouldn't think your teen would do, there's a problem. Here are some resources that will help you, and your teen, deal with peer pressure.
- Quiz: Are You Sabotaging Your Teen's Social Life?
- Encourage Positive Teen Friendships
- What to Do When Your Teen Is Being Influenced by Negative Peer Pressure
- FAQ: What do you do when you don't like your teen's friends?
- FAQ: Why do teenagers give in to peer pressure?
- 6 Tactics to Aid Your Teen with Peer Acceptance
- Talking to Teens About Friendship
- I don’t like my teen’s friends. What do I do?
- Peers at School Problems
- Family Vacation Tips: Let your teen bring a friend.
- How Much Time with Friends Is Enough?
- 5 Strategies for Preteens Handling Peer Pressure
Teen Sexuality and Pregnancy
Learn how to talk to your teen about sex and teen sexuality. Information on teen sexuality including teen pregnancy, menstruation and puberty.
- Things That Make Talking About Sex to Teens Tough and What to Do About Them
- 10 Essentials Your Teen Needs to Know About Sex
- 3 Simple Things Parents of Straight Teens Can Do About Homosexuality
- How Do I Accept My Gay Teen?
- How Is Puberty the Same for Both Sexes
- Teen Sexual Development Stages
- Five Common Questions Preteens Have About Periods
- Teen Pregnancy: Tips on Prevention
- The Dos and Donts of Sex Education
- FAQ: Can my daughter get an abortion without my consent?
- Period: A Girl's Guide to Menstruation With a Parents Guide
- What's Going on Down There? Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask
Working Teens
Having a job is a huge responsibility that teens enjoy. Teenagers like the pay and working with other teens. Parents like the sense of responsibility a job gives a teen. Check here for resources on getting your teen a job, whether your teen is ready for a job and what to do when your teen has a job. If your teen just wants a summer job, we have resources to help you with that too.
