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

When it comes to parenting your teenagers it is never too late or too often to talk about the dangers of drug use . Many parents will ignore the warning signs or make excuses for them , but when reality hits home that your teen is using drugs, it is critical you get involved.  Communication is always key to prevention, however there are times when your teen is no longer listening.  It doesn’t mean you stop talking. Intervention starts at home. If you suspect drug use , talk to your teen.  If they admit to using drugs, and are determined not to quit or even tell you they can quit if they want, take it to the next level.  Seek out local adolescent therapy or counseling.  In some cases this will be a brickwall but in other situations it can be the beginning of understanding why your teen is turning to substance abuse . If your teen escalates to a level that is uncontrollable, or simply defiant to all your rules and boundaries – and most ...

Jason O'Neill A very popular article on Examiner is about Teens that Inspire . Especially at holiday time it is always nice to hear "good news." Here is an open letter from one of the many teens that inspire, Jason O'Neill : Time is running out. December 4th is the deadline to donate to give teddy bears to kids at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA this Christmas. Last year, with the help of people around the world, I raised $5,130 which enabled me to buy 1800 teddy bears for the kids. I was hoping to top that amount this year but we have a long way to go in a short amount of time. If you are able to donate, every dollar counts. 100% of the money raised goes toward buying the bears. I use my own money for shipping, PayPal transaction fees, and any other miscellaneous expenses. With any amount donated, your name will be added to my website fundraiser page. Thank you to those who helped last year and who have already donated this year. Everything i...

With the expanding Internet we hear more about identity theft and fraud.  Teaching our teens about the dangers of identity theft as well as how to protect their private information is part of parenting. Fraud Facts: Your bank will never email or call you for your account number.  Talk to your teen about not giving out their account numbers, PIN's or their social security number. Don't wire money to people you don't know.  With the growing social networks and online shopping, teens have to beware of all scams that can involve wire transfers. Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.  Although there may be many businesses that are not members, you can do a simply Internet Search to detect if there are any valid issues against a business.  There are no legitimate jobs that involve reshipping items or financial instruments from you home. Foreign lotteries are illegal in teh U.S. You can't win money no matter what they say to you. Check...

Believe it or not, some teens do in fact want to remain virgins until marriage. If you are part of this group and have managed to survive high school with your virginity still intact, then you have completed a huge accomplishment. But you will learn early on that during college you will be faced with a variety of different challenges that might make your vow of celibacy hard to keep. But there are some easy and practical ways that you can remain a virgin in college. The first thing you need to do is know your limits. If you wish to remain a virgin, this doesn't mean that you have to cast off the opposite sex indefinitely, but you do need to be open about your desire to remain a virgin and set your limits. As cliché as it may sound, many lose their virginities because they were "caught up in the heat of the moment." So it's best not to put yourself into a situation that could jeopardize your virginity. For example, if you have no intentions of surpassing passionate ki...

Recent events have revealed just how rampant and cruel the bullying problem has become. The days of letting kids work things out by themselves or encouraging them to hash things out by the playground are long gone, as these strategies are proving to be much more dangerous than they once were. One thing is certain — parents play a huge role in the school bullying solution. Whether your kid is the aggressor or the victim, your words and support may be the most important tools in solving the problem. Here are 10 ways parents can prevent bullying: Talk to Your Kids : You may talk to your kids about homework, grades and school activities every day, but there are bigger issues happening in school that deserve to be discussed, as well. Bullying is a serious topic that parents and kids seem to skirt over far too often. An effective way to prevent bullying is to talk to your children about bullying. Depending on your relationship with your child and their willingness to share, y...

Teen depression is a serious concern that can lead to tragic results if not treated.  According to a new study from Duke/John Hopkins University , nearly half of teens who suffer a severe episode are back in depression within a few years of their initial recovery.  Also noted in this new study finds that depression affects an estimated 6 percent of U.S. teen girls and nearly as many teen boys. Nearly all (96 percent) of the 196 teenagers in the study either improved or fully recovered after an initial depressive episode, but 47 percent had one or more subsequent depressive episodes in an average of two years. As the holidays approach, it is a time that suicides among adults and teens will increase. It is critical to be aware of your teenagers feelings and activities.  For reasons that are not clearly understood, girls were more likely to have repeated bouts of depression, with nearly 60 percent of them suffering subsequent depressive episodes after reco...

When it comes to parenting your teenagers it is never too late or too often to talk about the dangers of drug use . Many parents will ignore the warning signs or make excuses for them , but when reality hits home that your teen is using drugs, it is critical you get involved.  Communication is always key to prevention, however there are times when your teen is no longer listening.  It doesn't mean you stop talking. Intervention starts at home.   If you suspect drug use , talk to your teen.  If they admit to using drugs, and are determined not to quit or even tell you they can quit if they want, take it to the next level.  Seek out local adolescent therapy or counseling.  In some cases this will be a brickwall but in other situations it can be the beginning of understanding why your teen is turning to substance abuse . If your teen escalates to a level that is uncontrollable, or simply defiant to all your rules and boundaries - and most imp...

Experts all over agree that starting a day with a healthy meal, whether it is cereal, oatmeal, eggs, toast or other foods - with a splash of juice , can give you a jumpstart to a good day! Mornings are one of the busiest times for families, but a happy, healthy start can set the tone for the day ahead.  Parenting expert and author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions , Dr. Michele Borba offers simple solutions to help families step back from the morning chaos and make their mornings more meaningful. Rise and Shine:   Wake your kids with a mantra that is unique to them and their activities. If your child has a big baseball game, wake them up with their mitt on your hand or by singing “take me out to the ballgame.”  Even including a fun routine for younger children, such as sock puppets, can make waking up more enjoyable and special.   Race to Get Ready: Challenge your kids to a “race to get ready.” Set a time goal for each child, if they get dressed a...

Last year one of the most popular Examiner articles was Teens that Inspire .   As the holidays approach, it is a time for giving, sharing, volunteering and being part of your community to those in need.  Each of these teens continue to grow their passion of helping others and are an inspiration to many more. In no particular order, here are some quick updates: Danielle Herb Danielle Herb, FL : Just turning 16 years old, Danielle has had a difficult year with her health, but that hasn't stopped her positive and outgoing spirit to care about others.  After being diagnosed with with RSD/CRPS , Danielle fought back through extensive rehab (see video on sidebar), had to learn to walk again, yet was determined to get back to her horses and what her passion is - helping others. Learn more about her recovery and her mission at her website Drop Your Reins and don't forget to join her Facebook Fan Page . Cati Grant, CA:   Now at 17 years ...

It's official!  Krantz Dental Care of Mandarin (Jacksonville) has done it again! Doubling their intake from last year, Krantz Dental Care of Mandarin , collected a new record of 1,400 pounds of Halloween candy for our troops serving overseas.   “ It’s a win-win situation ,” says Dr. Alan Krantz.  “ We get to promote a healthy Halloween for children, while at the same time, are able to let our troops know we are thinking of them.  Some of the children even wrote notes to be included with the candy—it was extremely touching to read their messages.” All last week, children brought in their candy to Krantz Dental Care and received $1 for every pound.  In addition, Krantz Dental Care donated an additional $1 to Feed a Needy Neighbor , a Jacksonville program that helps local families.  Local schools got involved this year with Durbin Creek Elementary, Pine Forest Elementary and Creekside High School collecting 650, 62 and 85 pounds, res...

Hunter Perkins - Accused of Bullying Commits Suicide Is there another side of bullying ?  Has our country overacted in some instances? On October 11th, life ended for 16 year-old prep-school student Hunter Perkins of Virginia.  He shot himself in his basement.  Teen suicide . We hear of it, probably too often, however it is sometimes connected to a teen being a victim of bullying.  Just last month we heard of the tragic suicide of Tyler Clementi after his classmate sent a viral video of Tyler's private life on the Internet. Hunter Perkins attended The Groten School, which is considered an elite school.  He was accused of creating sexually demeaning comics about another student with two other boys.  Walter Perkins, his father, in no way condoned this behavior but feels the school overeacted when they asked him to withdraw his son from the school. According to the Boston Herald , Mr. Perkins said: ' I was going to see that he...

Parents in denial.   Teens and heroin, a deadly combination. Dealers making it easier to smoke, cheaper to purchase, and more potent to be an addict faster.  Heroin is dangerous and deadly and it is a growing concern and trend today. 20/20 ABC News featured an excellent report on this topic.  The New Face of a Heroin Addict, which followed the lives of three average all-American families and their addict. ( Watch segment on sidebar ). Since 2007, the number of heroin users in the U.S. has nearly doubled, and half of all first-time users are younger than 26 years old, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration . This 20/20 ABC News segment should be an episode that every parent with a young teen should stop and watch.  It clearly shows that no one is immune to becoming an addict - especially a heroin addict. Parents that belive their teen is " only smoking pot ," listen to these stories - most start out ...

Recently, Readers Digest posted an excellent article by Michael Fertik, CEO and founder of ReputationDefender . It is a subject I am very much passionate about - and for full disclosure, I am also a long time client and fan of ReputationDefender.  At the Internet is growing and expanding at record speed - keeping up can be almost impossible!  However it is imperative you do your best to be in touch with your virtual reputation - and protect your kids, especially your teens that will be applying to colleges and looking for employment. From Readers Digest: As cyberbullying becomes more and more prevalent in the news and in our children's lives it's important to talk to your kids about their online reputation, especially on social networks, and how it can affect their real lives. Here are 5 basic tips to guide your child as they navigate the Internet: 1. If it’s Online, Consider it Public Information There’s no way to guarantee that what you post online will stay ...