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

  Finding out your smart teen has failing grades and may not be passing can be extremely stressful and frustrating. Failed classes lead to a lower GPA as well as may delay them graduating from high school on time. If your teen has a first-choice college that requires a higher GPA, lagging behind in school can also effect this. Once your teen starts falling behind, catching up can be difficult — when grades begin to plummet, many teens give up.   If your teen is  failing a class —or they’ve already failed the entire semester— take action . There are several things you can do to address the issue.   Why is my teen failing?   Once you realize your teen is failing a class or in  danger of not passing , it’s time to sit down and  discuss the problem .  Ask your teen for help uncovering the they are not passing.   Some students who start out strong get distracted, while others just aren’t motivated to stay on track. Maybe your teen gets involved in...

This has been an extremely difficult time. Since March 2020 there has been a rise in teen depression, anxiety, stress and suicide ideation. Parents are concerned and struggling for answers. Teen Depression Teen depression  is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. It affects how your teenager thinks, feels and behaves, and it can cause emotional, functional and physical problems. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may be different between teens and adults. Issues such as  peer pressure , academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for teens. But for some teens, the lows are more than just temporary feelings — they’re a symptom of depression. Teen depression isn’t a weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower — it can have serious consequences and requires long-term treatment. For most teens, depression symptoms ease with treatment such ...

HELP! My teen needs help, but will they hate me if I send them away? Your teen will likely be scared of the new situation and may also promise to “ do better at home” if you've discussed the possibility of going to a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center . We never recommend parents threaten their child with this option, since choosing residential therapy is such an amazing opportunity for your teen to develop coping skills they may be lacking, improve self-esteem to make better choices, learn anger and stress management skills and most of all - improve their overall mental wellness .  Most of these programs' strengths are targeted at emotional growth and wellness - academics are typically secondary, but  are important. Keep in mind, without emotional wellness - nothing will work in life. In our experience, your child will likely grow from fear and anger they already have -- to love and understanding that this decision was made with their best inter...

 Is Your Smart Teen Stuck in Anxiety? It’s no secret, 2020 has been tough to get through. The pressures that the ongoing pandemic have placed on all of us have been challenging, especially for students who have had to adapt to online learning overnight. If you’re a student in this strange time, it can be extremely difficult to find the motivation to get up and tune in to class while the world is in a moment of crisis. While the pandemic continues, it’s important to prioritize your mental health in tandem with your daily tasks. And even when school does return to an in-person setting, you want to maintain a robust practice of keeping your psychological and emotional wellbeing in check. So how can you stay on top of your anxiety when studies are too demanding or overwhelming? We’ve got some tips to help you get through this difficult time with a list of activities and practices to check in with yourself. Here’s some ways students can mitigate the effects of anxiety: 1. Normalize Chec...

Teen Help for Internet Addiction Cell-phone obsession Hooked-on social media or video games? Is your teen consumed by their digital life? Hooked on gaming? Are they spending too much time alone and isolating themselves? Have their grades started to drop? Becoming withdrawn, and even depressed? According to a survey, even teens are worried they spend too much time on screens and fear they are addicted . When used excessively, technology can affect the emotional and physical wellness of young people of many young people . Symptoms of internet addiction: -An obsession with being online -Frustration, anxiety, and irritability when not able to get online. -Abandoning friends or hobbies in order to stay digitally connected. -Continuing to spend time online even after negative repercussions (such as failing grades, deteriorating relationships, and even health issues). How can we help? Parent Universal Resource Experts has been educating parents...

By Jane Parent Susan was in her 16-year-old son’s room recently. She discovered a weird looking sort of pen on his dresser. She didn’t know what it was, but she did a little digging and discovered it was a vape pen. “I was shocked to learn that my son could be using this pen to smoke any number of substances, says Susan.” “There was no smell or smoke in his bedroom while I was in the next room. I had no idea.” Electronic cigarettes in the form of  vape  pens and cartridges are more popular than ever, especially among high school students. E-cigarette use among teenagers has been  rapidly increasing  nationally, with more than 32% of 10th graders reporting vaping in the past year, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “The good news is that middle and high school kids understand the health risks of smoking cigarettes,” says Dr. Laura Offutt, founder of online teen health resource  Real Talk with Dr. Offutt . “Unfortunately, they’ve also abs...

Teen depression and anxiety is on the rise. Sadly, we are seeing suicide as the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10-24. With today's digital lives there could be so many reasons. Are they missing the routine of a real-life social life?  Are they being harassed online ?  Or are they watching their friends on social media have a blast while they believe their life is boring or they are simply missing out? What was true a generation ago is still true today, teens are unpredictable and still difficult to figure out. However depression is a very real emotion. Adolescence can be a very turbulent and difficult time, even for the most well-adjusted child. Depression strikes teenagers and adults alike, and can have far-reaching implications when kids suffer from emotional difficulties that they aren’t sure how to manage. After noticing the signs of depression in your teen and helping him to get the treatment he needs, understanding the root of his depre...