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

Diploma Mills: A growing problem Almost everyone goes to college for the same reason: to prepare for their future career. Of course, it is also about expanding your mind, challenging yourself, and meeting new people, but in the end it comes down to being qualified for the job that you really want. In today’s society, online degrees are more common than ever. Consequently, " diploma mills " are also more common than ever. A diploma mill will go to great lengths to appear legitimate, making it very difficult to differentiate the scams from accredited online universities. And while the internet boasts thousands of institutions for higher learning, it also houses thousands of con artists. Diploma mills cheat you out of your money and your academic goals. While diploma mills can be tricky, there are several ways you can avoid them. An online education offers many benefits a traditional education cannot. Here’s how you can get the online education you desire withou...

Join me April 28th, 6pm – 8pm EST on www.Momtourage.com for a parenting chat and QA forum! Are you at your wits end with your teenager? Are you having trouble communicating, disciplining and enforcing rules? We’ve seen your questions in our Q&A tool and we’ve got expert help for you. Join Sue Sheff, parent advocate and author of Wit’s End! A Parent’s True Story, Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen who will be on hand in our Q&A tool answering your questions about helping teens who are behaving badly. Sue knows personally the turmoil mother’s experience when their household is being disrupted by bad teen behavior. Out of desperation she turned to teen specialty schools and behavior modification programs for her own daughter but that only worsened the situation. If you have questions about helping your teen before you reach your breaking point, talk to Sue. If you’ve been considering alternative education or therapy for your unruly tee...

The recent headlines of the two 14 year-old girls that secretly planned their death by hanging at a slumber party has sent shockwaves through our nation.  The facts behind teen depression and teen suicide are ones that parents need to take the time to understand, learn and be proactive about.  Did you know? ( Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention ) Worldwide over 1,000,000 people die each year by suicide. The CDC's most recent report shows the largest One-Year Increase in Youth Suicide Rate in 15 Years Suicide takes the lives of over 2,400 Floridians and over 33,300 Americans in 2007. Suicide is the 11th cause of death in the Americans. In 2004, there were 2,382 reported suicide deaths in Florida. In Broward County Florida the youngest documented child to complete suicide was 9 years of age. Florida has the 2nd highest number of suicides in the Nation and ranks #13 highest rate of all the states [2001]. Florida has more than two times the number of suicides th...

It is always a question to me – teens are allowed to drop out of high school (in Florida at age 16 teens have the right to sign out of school).  Their mentality is they will just get a GED.  Although there are very valid reasons that some people need to get a GED – a defiant, healthy, teenager usually doesn’t have a reason except they simply don’t want to go to school.  In life, as they will learn, there are many things we don’t want to do – but will do them anyway.  There are things we don’t understand how important they are until years later – like going to college. Visit www.helpyourteens.com if you need help. If you or your teen are looking to obtain a GED, here is a great list to work from: GED's are being used too frequently today. Whether you’re ready to finish high school early or never graduated and want a GED to help you plan out a more lucrative career and education path, there are a lot of resources online to help you prepare for th...

Depression.  Obsession.  Addiction. Are these three adjectives that surround social networking ? Social networking is on the rise, a recently released  study from The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that 22 percent of teenagers log onto their favorite social media sites more than 10 times a day, and that 75 percent own cell phones. This level of engagement online increases the risks of cyberbullying, “ Facebook depression ” (a new phenomenon where “de-friending” and online bullying lead to symptoms of depression), exposure to inappropriate content, and sexting. What can parents do if they suspect their teen or child is heading down a dark road? Looking at Facebook to begin with, is your teen age appropriate?  You have to be at least 13 years-old to be a member. On Facebook's help center it clearly states:  Facebook requires individuals to be at least 13 years old before they can create an account.  Facebook even takes it a step fu...

Teen dating: Have fun, be safe. Let's face it, when our teenager wants to start dating it can be extremely stressful for the parent.  The real life pain of falling in love and breaking up can devastate a youth.  It is important you not only talk to your teens about dating and the emotions they may go through, but also about dating safety.  Teen dating violence is a serious concern - and an issue that is becoming more prevalent.  What is Teen Dating Violence? Teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling, abusive and aggressive behavior in a romantic relationship. It can happen to anyone, regardless of race, gender, age or socioeconomic status. Abusive behaviors may include some of the following: Physical: punching, kicking, slapping, choking, pinching, hair pulling Verbal: name calling , put downs, threats , spreading rumors Emotional: Feelings of isolation, fear, worthlessness, low self-esteem Sexual: pressuring to have sex, rape, forcing unprotected...

Don't be a parent in denial, get your teen help. Alcohol Awareness Month , as declared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), aims to raise awareness about the seriousness of alcohol dependency and alcoholism, while recognizing the serious problem of alcohol abuse. It is an ideal time to educate yourself and loved ones about the dangers of alcohol abuse. A modest meeting amongst friends on campus can be enhanced immeasurably with the introduction of a fun, buzz-inducing drinking game. Of course, drinking in general is associated with the college experience, in which young adults assert their independence by going buck wild. Such behavior usually comes with the lack of a true understanding of the consequences of alcohol, and thus reckless behavior — albeit fun behavior — ensues. Consequently, some drinking games can turn a lively shindig into a deadly or at least vomit-inducing...

Get sound, objective help for your teen. Recently launched yet has helped over 30,000 families, www.TeenHelpAdvice.com offers over 25+ years of combined experience in the big business of teen help schools and programs. Offering sound and objective advice, the Teen Help Advisors are experts in the "business" of the teen help industry.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  Many parents are duped on a daily basis when they have reached their wit's end.  They are feeling desperate - alone - and hopeless. No more!  We have been there - I have been duped, my teen was abused and I am determined that this doesn't happen to other parents as they believe they are getting help. The questionable decision to hire an Educational Consultant (EC) c an be answered very quickly. Just yesterday (and many times prior) I hear from parents that have spent at least $2500 to as much as $5000.00 for the services of an Educational Consultant .  Yesterday this desperate mother...