The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Although the pandemic might be mostly behind us, there are some lingering issues that have left parents with more concerns. Remote learning did not benefit every student, and we witnessed a surge in the need for  adolescent mental health services . Online learning was necessary and still holds value for many students. With the  increased screen time , we also need to equip our students with both emotional and media literacy skills to handle cyberbullying. Prevalence of Online Harassment of Teens In  2018, PEW Research  shared that the majority of teens have been the target of online harassment and believe it is a big problem. According to the  Cyberbullying Research Center , student victimization has been increasing steadily over the past 5 years. Another study in  2019 in  SAJIM  said that students were negatively affected both emotionally and academically by cyberbullying—to the extent that some thought of  suicide .  About 41 percent ...

Worried about your teen? We are rounding up second semester and looking at spring break.  Parents are worried as their high school student (teenager) is still failing, refusing to complete assignments and still believes that education is a farce. On the other hand we know our child is more than capable of getting A's and B's yet they are barely bringing home D's.  College?  We are praying they finish high school.  What is wrong with society? Why are kid of the notion that they can just drop out of high school and get a GED?  Years ago GED's were frowned upon--only for those that were either adjudicated or maybe medically necessary.  Now it is too easy for these kids to just drop out. Then we have teens that want to smoke pot on a daily basis.  You know it is legal in some states. You know their parents do it.  Really, is it that bad?  Well, as a matter of fact - it is. Marijuana, especially when sold on the streets to our kids, is...

As second semester is progressing, and faster than we realize, our High School teenagers are not recognizing how important these years are to getting into a good college or university . It is a fact, not all kids are designed to go to college, some are very good at vocational trades, and that is a great direction too - as long as they have a direction. However if you see that your once A-B student is barely getting C's and D's it is time to find out what is going on. Talk to your teen Talk to his/her guidance counselor Talk to his/her teachers Who are your teen's friends now? Are they also failing? What has changed? Why are they spiraling to a destructive level ? This list could go on forever, but at the end of the day, it is about getting your teen back on track.  Especially if you have a 16-17 year old, you have limited time to get them back on the positive road. Have you tried therapy, which in many cases can lead to a dead end since your teen doesn't s...

"My teenager is brilliant!  Highly intelligent, has the potential to make all A's but is barely bringing home C's!  Help!" This is a common complaint we hear about from many of today's parents.  Teens do not recognize the importance of education and what it means to their future.  As a matter of fact, we are seeing more adults going back for a higher education than ever before.  Why?  It is simple- education is the key to your financial future.  Now we need to get our teenagers to understand this. It is up to parents to set boundaries and set the example.  We are not saying that teens are not allowed to have a social life, of course they are.  We need them to find the balance. Here are some great tips from Parents and Kids : Start early on as possible as you can, set up reasonable goals, begin with small tasks and give them time to improve. For example, have the child state the goal, the grade on their upcoming report card for their...

How is your teen doing in school? Are you at your wit's end with your teen?  School is back in session and your teen is either not attending classes or decided he doesn't need school anymore - let's just get a GED.  Seriously - that is the way some  teens are thinking now.  Generations prior, GED's were frowned upon, and usually meant you had a child that was a juvenile delinquent. Today we have many resources for parents to get their teens back on a positive road, but it takes time, determination and research to find that right program. They will come under many names such as, Wilderness Programs, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Residential Treatment Centers, Behavior Modification, Emotional Growth , etc.....  It is important to realize what you are looking at and what you need for your individual teen. In my prior Blog posts below, I have given you many tips - here are some more: Boot Camps - In my opinion, stay clear of anything punitive.  Th...