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

As Mother's Day is fast approaching on May 9th this year, some people scramble to find the perfect gift to show their mother how much they are appreciated. Some struggle with the loss of a mother, while others debate whether to honor their mother. Are you the parent of a teen that is also celebrating Mother's Day? 16 and Pregnant is a reality show that has received a lot of attention with both parents and teens. In the season finale, Dr. Drew hosts a round table discussion with the 10 teens that gave birth. What you will learn is that many of these girls believe that getting pregnant (or making the decision to keep the baby verse adoption or abortion) will help them to keep their boyfriend too. Most all of these teens express how much harder it is to be a mother than they expected. A light bulb moment is the fact that school is suddenly so important to these girls, which is great, but why didn't they think of this prior having sex without protection? Some of the girls ad...

April is Alcohol Awareness Month . No matter what time of the year it is, talking to your kids about the dangers of alcoholism and drinking is critical. Just say no to drugs, but also say no to drinking. Parents are the anti-drug. The Cool Spot is a place for teens and tweens to learn more about alcohol and resisting peer pressure. The Cool Spot was created for kids 11-13 years old by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The NIAAA is the lead U.S. agency supporting research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcohol problems. It is a component of the National Institutes of Health, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Peer pressure is a common thread when kids are trying to fit in. Most one to be part of a cool group, but at what cost? Pressure is the feeling that you are being pushed toward making a certain choice-good or bad. A peer is someone in your own age group. Peer pressure is-you guessed it-the feeling that so...

Summer is almost here, is your teen failing in school?  Hanging out with less than desirable peers?  Smoking pot or worse?  Do you see your teenager going down a negative path ? Maybe it is time to find a good, positive Emotional Growth Summer Program to help stimulate your teen in a positive direction.  Build their self-worth to make better choices.  Help them to determine where these negative actions are stemming from.  Being a proactive parent can help you prevent your teen from spiraling out-of-control.  Just say NO to Boot Camps , as many parents believe that beating a child into submission will scare them straight.  In many cases, this is simply false.  It is about building your child back up again. For more help and assistance, please visit www. HelpYourTeens .com - for over a decade, Parents' Universal Resource Experts (P.U.R.E.)  has helped thousands of families.  Whether we are there to let you know you are not al...

As Jamie Oliver's new show continues to explode with the reality of how unhealthy eating can effect our lives and shorten them, one of his recent episodes shocked us as he was told that "French fries count as a vegetable". Maybe this is not shocking to some dieticians, however to many people this was a moment of that left us scratching our heads. You mean greasy French fries are considered a veggie? Seems strange, however that is exactly what a food service director stated on Food Revolution in an elementary school in Huntington, West Virginia. So do French fries count as a vegetable? Yes, they do, according to the government . French fries have been on the list of "fresh" vegetables since 1996 under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act . They are considered fresh because they fall short of the guidelines that would qualify them as "processed." " When I found out that a French fry was considered a vegetable, it insulted me, it ups...

Yikes, this is one of the most difficult and sensitive subjects parents dread to talk to their kids about, but it is also just as critical. Whether you believe your teen is having sex or not, the conversation is important. Your teen will rely on his/her peers to help educate them if you don't. MTV's - " It's Your Sex Life " helps teach your teens about safe sex, protection, if you are ready for this big step, as well as the risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD). In Broward County, there are places your teens can get tested for STD's. If you are not in Florida, find your local center, click here . If you are a teenager, don't wait for your partner or your health care provider to start the conversation, take charge. After all, this Is YOUR (Sex) Life. By talking about sex (that includes what you feel ready, or not, to do) you are showing that you care about yourself and your partner, and that your are in control. It's YOUR (...

Underage drinking and/or teenage drinking is a serious concern for parents. Alcohol is usually more accessible than most drugs. We often hear about college students that binge drink. Could this be the beginning of a dark future called alcoholism? During the month of April it is time to learn more about teen drinking and underage drinking. The younger you are when you start drinking, the greater your chance of becoming addicted to alcohol at some point in your life. More than 4 in 10 people who begin drinking before age 15 eventually become alcoholics. Children of addicts and alcoholics are four times more likely to become addicts and alcoholics themselves than children of non-addicts. Why do teens drink? Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are: curiosity to feel good, reduce stress, and relax to fit in to feel older From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people en...

During these troubling economic times, buying gifts can be difficult for some families. Teachers work all year with our children, during hard times and the good times. They are the ones that are children are with most of the week. They are the future of our children. At VolunteerSpot , teachers are loved! That’s why they have complied this eBook filled with the Greatest Gifts for Teachers . Many are low-cost or no-cost and all show your teacher how much you care. Ideas for winter holidays, Valentine’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, retiring teachers and more. VolunteerSpot’s free and easy volunteer scheduling software saves time signing up and reminding volunteers for teacher appreciation activities. Take the time to review this fantastic eBook of gift ideas. VolunteerSpot  is a fantastic organization that help communities come together and work for the benefit of others. VolunteerSpot launched in Spring, 2009 with the mission of enabling ANYONE to quickly mobilize and c...

Have you ever considered you may be your child's drug provider? Have you ever thought when they visit your parents (their grandparents) your teens may be taking their medications too? Broward County, Florida offers Operation Medicine Cabinet. According to the United Way Commission on Substance Abuse , prescription drug abuse is skyrocketing. This fact has fed the increasing rates of opiate-related deaths in recent years. In addition, the DEA reports that painkillers now cause more drug overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined. Florida teens abuse prescription pain relievers more than any other illicit drugs except marijuana, according to the 2008 Florida Youth Substance Abuse survey. While illegal drug use among teens is falling, teen prescription drug abuse is on the rise. One in five teens has abused a prescription pain medication, and in Florida prescription drugs have killed 300% more people than illegal drugs. Operation Medicine Cabinet helps you rid your medici...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Although this is a sensitive and difficult topic to talk about, it is a necessary discussion to have. Education is key to prevention. The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) is a statewide nonprofit organization committed to victims and survivors of sexual violence and the sexual assault crisis programs who serve them. FCASV serves as a resource to the state on sexual violence issues. Each year they host a statewide conference and many trainings, bringing state-of-the-art information from around the nation to Florida. FCASV provide technical assistance to agencies seeking to improve their services for rape victims, and provide up-to-date information to the public. By using the toll free information line, callers can access information from their resource library or from their network of national resources. FCASV provides information, assistance and leadership on all aspects of sexual violence, including rape, child abuse, stal...

Join Lauren Book-Lim , abuse survivor and founder of Lauren’s Kids, during her 500-mile walk from across Florida--from Aventura to the state capitol in Tallahassee. Lauren’s Walk is intended to raise awareness for Sexual Abuse Awarenesss Month. Lauren’s journey will begin at an Aventura house where her abuse first occurred on Friday, April 2, and end at the Capitol Building on Wednesday, April 20, 2010. Upon her arrival at the Capitol, her foundation, Lauren’s Kids , will host a rally to encourage and support passage of all pending legislation to protect children from sexual assault. Her 500-mile walk symbolizes a survivor’s long, painful healing journey to shed the shame—a journey that requires love, support and understanding from family, friends and trained professionals. Lauren is walking during Sexual Abuse Awareness Month to bring awareness to help prevent childhood sexual abuse, but also to reach out to survivors of all ages who might not have disclosed their “dark, hidden...

Are you considering residential therapy for your teenager?  Do you have a good teen making bad choices? Are you surfing the Internet, totally confused by all those toll free numbers, marketing arms, and sales reps? Are you totally at your wit's end ??? As  responsible parent, we need to get our teen help, however we also need to stop, think, research and consider what is best for your individual teen.  Many years ago, I struggled with my own teen daughter and her unacceptable behavior and needed outside help.  My story has made headlines - and also lead to a book - Wit's End ! that has helped many parents when they are about to make a major decision. I was sucked in by a group that told me all I "needed" to hear - and delivered on just about zero of it. Learn from my mistakes - gain from my knowledge .  If you are considering any of the above referenced "teen-help" programs (in the title) or marketing arms - take your time - do your research ...

Teen suicide is a fear that some parents have lived with or have survived.  There can be nothing worse than  losing a child, however losing them to suicide can be devastating.  Being an educated parent can help you learn about warnings signs , even if they are hidden or silent . Source:   Connect with Kids Signs of Suicidal Thoughts “If your child is depressed or thinking about suicide, you have to remove the most dangerous means of doing that- and that's guns and certain kinds of medication.” – Dr. Shannon Croft, M.D. Child Psychiatrist, Emory University School of Medicine 20-year-old Erin Salisbury suffers from depression and bipolar disorder. She has attempted suicide five times. Everytime she was saved by an adult. "There have been many days I could have died," says Erin. "I'm very lucky... very lucky right now." Experts say the first sign that a child may be suicidal is depression. "So a child that's sad more days than not, th...

In my previous articles relating to dangerous games that teens will play, most have involved your teenager physically being a participant. With the emphasis on "physically" present. CNN recently reported on a new disturbing video game teens are playing, RapeLay . It begins with a girl, her sister and mother on a train platform. They get on the subway and you, as the video game player, can begin your sexual assault of all of them. Grope and rape - all part of the game. What part of this concept is acceptable to any parent? This game, although started in Japan, has gone viral and people all over the world are now playing it. No one should play a game where the only way to win is to rape! April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month . It is an ideal time to sit down and talk to your teens about not only this game, but other issues such as dating abuse , sexual assault and other topics which may be uncomfortable, however can save a teen from experiencing an extr...