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

Mental illness continues to mystify the mainstream, and students already stressed and anxious about classes, relationships, jobs and activities end up suffering from the stigmas just as much as the conditions themselves. But they don’t have to nurture their pain in quiet. More and more individuals (students or not), their loved ones and organizations are speaking up in favor of psychological help in all its forms. The following list represents some of the most common conditions occurring on campuses globally, though by no means should it be considered a comprehensive glimpse at an issue far more broad and complex. Clinical Depression : At least 44% of college students have reported suffering from some degree of clinical depression — and the number only escalates from there as years tick past. Thanks to prevailing social stigmas regarding psychiatric help, only 23% of victims reported that they’d be comfortable discussing their treatment. Considering the amount of s...

Guest Blogger, Phillip Lopez , as written an article that many parents will find extremely helpful.  Raising kids and teens today is challenging.  Figuring out how to answer those tough and sensitive questions can be scary and stressful to parents. Phillip Lopez writes for Christian Colleges and Universities . 10 Toughest Questions Kids Ask By: Phillip Lopez If you’re a parent, you’ve undoubtedly discovered that raising children is the most difficult task you’ve ever undertaken. It’s your responsibility to shape their impressionable minds – whether or not they grow up to become productive members of society and successful individuals supposedly hinges on your every move. So go figure they ask the most difficult questions early in the parenting process, when they’re most curious and you’re most clueless. Below are a handful of those questions that make parents cringe. How are babies made? Every parent has inevitably been asked this question in some v...

Kara Tamanini offers sound and understanding advice regarding ADD/ ADHD children. Take the time to visit her website. Her books for children are excellent! I was very impressed and recommend them if you have a child that is ADD/ ADHD . Source: Kids Awareness Series By Kara Tamanini The most important component at arriving at an accurate diagnosis of ADHD is to complete a thorough and comprehensive evaluation. Many times, I have seen children and they have have been brought in by their parents and diagnosed by their pediatrician after being seen for five to ten minutes. In addition, parents will often tell me that either their child’s pediatrician or a child psychiatrist, prescribed their child medication after being seen and the parent is uncertain as to whether or not their child received an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, this happens all too often and the steps to arrive at a diagnosis of ADHD should take more than 5-10 minutes in a doctor’s office. First and foremost, a c...

What a great website and educational information to help you raise your daughters. Take the time to learn more about A Way Through . The New School Year: Starting with a Clean Slate By Jane Balvanz Last week we had our school’s ice cream social and meet the teacher night. There was such excitement as students raced around to find out whether they got the “right” teacher and if their friends were in their class. Kindergarteners marched in with their parents, behind them if they were wary and ahead if they were excited. I like to watch this rite of passage. The kindergarteners start school with clean slates. No one really knows them. These students basically are happy little people, and as a teacher friend of mine once said, “They smell like milk!” They love school, the teacher, the kids, the crayons, and everything in the whole wide world. They are curious little sponges absorbing everything they can. I like that they start the school year with a clean slate. I wish that for all studen...

Get ready for Dr. Michele Borba's BIG Book of Parenting Solutions , releasing just in time for school. Here is another sneak peak about a very important topic, bullying. REALITY CHECK: Research finds that 49 percent of kids say they’ve been bullied at least once or twice during the school term, but only 32 percent of their parents believed them. By Michele Borba Those school doors will be opening soon and excitement is in the air. But many kids may not be sharing that excitement and in fact may be a bit jittery. And they have good cause. One study found that one out of every four children will be bullied by another youth in school this month. If your child is bullied, it means that peers are intentionally causing him pain. Reports also confirm that bullying is starting at younger ages and is more frequent and aggressive that ever before. Do know that if your child is bullied chances are he or she did NOTHING to cause it. Bottom line: bullying behavior must be taken very seriously....

Another sneak peak of what The BIG Book of Parenting Solutions , by Parenting Expert, Dr. Michele Borba . As school opens, this is a timely post. Parenting Solutions to Stop “Poor Loser” Attitudes and Boost Sportsmanship By Michele Borba REALITY CHECK : “I should have won.” “They ought to fire the coach.” “I could have gotten the right answer. The teacher doesn’t like me.” “If I were on a better team I’d win.” Sound familiar? They’re all symptoms of a deadly youth ailment called “Poor Loser” and it’s spreading among our youth. Watching any kid be a poor loser is embarrassing, but when the kid is yours, it’s downright humiliating. Sure, your son or daughter may be the best drummer in the band, have the highest-grade point average in the class, be the best gymnast on the squad, or the fastest sprinter in town, but the moment she starts blaming others, making excuses, arguing, or booing, her skills no longer matter. What everyone sees instead is just a poor loser, and that’s a tough image...

If you don't receive Sue Blaney's 2 Minute Tips , you should subscribe. She always offers sound and reliable advice on raising our teens today. By Sue Blaney My tip this week is – Link Freedom and Responsibility - Listen now. I received a query from a mom of a teenager asking for my input on curfew times for her teen. New curfews and questions about updated rules are relevant now as a new school year begins. As they go up a grade teens may have expectations for additional freedom; and they will likely be making some new friends and opportunities for new social activities could be on the horizon. So let’s talk about curfews in the context of additional freedom for your teen in general. What kind of additional freedoms are appropriate as your teen grows? More on Link Freedom and Responsibility - 2 Min Tip #69

Sarah Newton's Blog and Podcasts at Gen Y Guide has some great parenting information for parents today and the technology our kids are using! We need to try to stay ahead of our kids - it is summer - check this Blog out - I am sure many can relate! Sick of your child sitting in front of the computer all day ? By: Carol McNaughton via Sarah Newton (check out the Gen Y Website!) Let’s face it, there is always plenty to do during the summer holidays. That isn’t the challenge. It is finding something our kids, especially teens, would rather do than sitting in front of the computer. When every suggestion is met with, “Boring!” what can a parent do? With two teens and a nine year old at home I know exactly where you are coming from and how difficult this can be. Is there a solution? Definitely! Let’s take a quick look at our children’s generation, Generation Y or The Milleniums, to see who and what we are dealing with. Research has shown that Gen Y are: • Technologically brilliant • Mo...

Dr. Michele Borba , again has given us an educational and informational Blog - this time about our teens moods and how to survive them! Her new book coming out in September, The BIG Book of Parenting Solutions will offer you literally volumes of great parenting advice! By Michele Borba Last year your daughter was so sweet, suddenly she has an “attitude.” Two months ago your son was your best bud, now he treats you like you’re totally “uncool.” Welcome to the world of parenting a teenager. Throw out any of those child-rearing manuals you’ve used in the past. To survive this age group and come out sane you need a whole new parenting perspective. Mark Twain offered one of most ingenious solutions: “Put them in a barrel,” he said, then and nail it shut until they turn nineteen. Only then should you let them out.” Here are a few more realistic (and legal) tips from my book, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries that might help yo...

Source: Tangerine Times A Hug; A New Teen "Hello?" I’m a hugger more than a kisser so I didn’t pay attention to this trend as much as maybe other people did. Now that it’s been written about and discussed , I guess I would have to agree that hugging is much more common with this generation of kids. And, by the way, does this increase effect teen-age boys as much teen-age girls? My son isn’t old enough (yet) for me to see the trend with boys. Will he start hugging when he gets in high school? I don’t know. At first, I thought it was a California thing to do….all the hugging was just left over “California summer of love” stuff. Evidently not. When did I first notice it? Hard to say. Mainly because it’s pretty common for teen girls to hug their friends hello, good-bye, when they are excited, when they are sad and well…anytime. Maybe I first noticed it when my daughter had a mixed group of friends over (when they were 14 or so) and when saying good-bye, she hugged both the girl...

Jennifer Wagner has an exciting and up-to-date/tech Blog that keeps you informed about today's teens and what they are up to. Her interview with Vanessa Van Petten is fantastic! Vanessa is a teen author and has an excellent website called Radical Parenting ! Source: Jennifer Wagner - Connect with Your Teens Through Pop Culture and Technology Today you are being treated to a guest post by Vanessa Van Petten, the teen author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!” She writes a parenting blog, Radical Parenting , with 12 other teen writers from the kid's perspective to help parents. Her work as a young family peacemaker have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue, CNN, Fox News, CBS Miami and much more! 6 Ways to Bond With Your Teen or Tween Even though I am not a parent, I know how hard it can be to get kids—especially angsty teens to connect and open up to parents. Writing a parenting blog from a teen’s perspective has forced me to look back at my own teen year...

Debra Beck is an author and mentor to parents, teens and families. Her Blog offers sound and real advice with today’s teens. As always, I enjoy sharing these informational articles, thoughts and ideas on parenting. Check out Debra’s book, My Feet Aren’t Ugly . By Debra Beck This is such a tough time for parents, even if you understand what is going on, it can be heartbreaking. Usually around 12-15 years old depending on the teen, he or she will start pulling away from parents, this is a normal, healthy stage in adolescent development. The teen will pull away from parents as he or she attempts to develop their own identity. It is a natural process for the preparation of leaving the nest. I remember my oldest daughter and I were very close, we spend a lot of time together, and we talked about everything. When she was 13 years old, she started spending more time in her bedroom on the phone, more time with friends and most all communication was off with me. I used to go open her bedroom do...

As a fan of Ziggy - this character can always put a smile on your face. So parents, take a break and treat yourselves to some Ziggy Time . New York, NY - (April 28, 2009) – The world’s ultimate optimist is larger than life. Now appearing through the end of June, in the heart of one of the business hubs of the world, Ziggy is shining down from the CBS Jumbotron Billboard in Times Square in New York City. The Ziggy billboard, located at 8th Avenue and 42nd Street, is a huge monument of the major media marketing blitz that’s been happening for the launch of the new book, Zig-zagging: Loving Madly, Losing Badly – How Ziggy Saved My Life (HCI Books - $17.95), a memoir by Tom Wilson, Ziggy cartoonist. Complimenting the billboard and a host of positive pre-release book reviews, and the viral video interview , Wilson has been receiving bountiful media exposure and praise regarding the new book. In addition to an in-depth personal interview that is appearing in a nationally syndicated newspape...

I love this website! Maybe it is because I can relate so well, after raising an ADHD son or how it explains in simple language the challenges parents of ADD/ADHD children have. As summer is almost here, read these fantastic “Summer Survival Tips” for families of ADHD children from Power Moms Unite website. Striking a Balance: Summer Survival Tips for Families Managing ADHD One major issue with ADHD and summer vacations is the bored factor. Once the novelty of having all that free-time-to-do-anything wears away, what to do with all that free time becomes a problem. On the other hand, over-scheduling and over-planning the summer can lead to burn-out and irritability for both parents and children. The art of managing ADHD during the summer is really about the art of finding balance. Several strategies can help strike this balance. Keep a calendar: Use a monthly or weekly calendar and write down vacation, camp and community trip dates. Kids need routine to feel secure, but be sure to leav...

I absolutely love this website for all parents and guardians raising kids. Not to mention educators that work with kids. This article is particularly interesting since I was a parent that took that bait! Oh, hindsight is great! Source: PowerMomsUnite It’s a popular phrase in my house: “ Don’t take the bait .” We have variances on it including “don’t be a fish,” “some one is fishing,” and the most popular “looks like you’re going to land a big one.” With 5 kids in the house, several of who are close in age, they joke, tease, and well, see who can get a rise out of whom. A product of an only child family, I was deeply disturbed by this behavior when they were younger. I lecturing about home being a sanctuary and that no one was to be teased ever! I have come to accept that as a family with ADHD, and maybe every family has this to some degree- boredom breeds a little teasing/ poking/ fishing. The nature of the teasing has changed- due to my insistence that relationships be nur...

Recently I am noticing more and more parents are stepping up and talking about their issues, concerns, frustrations as well as sharing ideas and tips they have used in raising their children. All in all, it is about parents helping parents. Years ago when I struggled with my daughter, I felt so alone - and it was such a hush hush mentality. We were all so determined to prove our kids were nearly perfect! Oh, so smart and athletic or gifted and talented in some way. In today's generation of raising children it is become more challenging. Here are a few Blogs on Parenting that could help you help your child: Van's Mom - Exploring and dealing with an ADHD and ODD daughter. Tangerine Times - Myrna's parenting tips on the sweet and sour times of teens. Phil's Blog - Why physical education is so critical to children today in highly techy times. Inhalant Abuse Blog - Parents educate other parents on the dangers of many home products. Love Our Children Blog - Helping ke...

Sue Scheff – Founder of Parents’ Universal Resource Experts and Author of Wit’s End! Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-Of-Control Teen Offers 10 Parenting Quick Tips for 2009 1. Communication: Keeping the lines of communication of your child should be a priority with all parents. It is important to let your kids know you are always there for them no matter what the subject is. If there is a subject you are not comfortable with, please be sure your child has someone they can open up to. I believe that when kids keep things bottled up, it can be when negative behaviors can start to grow. 2. Knowing your Children’s Friends: This is critical, in my opinion. Who are your kids hanging out with? Doing their homework with? If they are spending a lot of time at a friends house, go out of your way to call the parent introduce yourself. Especially if they are spending the night at a friends house, it important to take time to call the parents or...

Learn more about keeping your kids in good health . Especially with more and more kids sitting behind their computer screens we need to encourage more activities! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSGUZrOU_w Here is a recent News Article Seven ways to help your overweight teen On paper, the statistics are shocking enough: the obesity rate for teens has tripled over the past 25 years and with this increase an average weight, type 2 diabetes, once unknown in young people, is now diagnosed in 45 percent of all new cases involving children or teens. Medical experts fear that high blood pressure and heart disease could become increasingly prevalent among young adults, making this generation of teens the first to have potentially poorer health and shorter life spans than their parents. Seeing a young person you love struggle with overweight or obesity in the sensitive pre-teen or teen years is painful, frustrating and alarming — from watching them deal with cruel remarks to seeing them on the ...

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