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

Make it a good school year. Many parents have prepared for the past several weeks by purchasing school supplies, uniforms, clothes, books, and other necessary items to start their new academic year. They also are staring a new schedule at home.  Summer is over and it is back to getting on a schedule. Here are some tips for the first week of school transition for parents: Clear your own schedule . To the extent possible, postpone business trips, volunteer meetings, and extra projects. You want to be free to help your child acclimate to the school routine and overcome the confusion or anxiety that many children experience at the start of a new school year. Make lunches the night before school . Older children should help or make their own. Give them the option to buy lunch in school if they prefer and finances permit. Set alarm clocks . Have school-age children set their own alarm clocks to get up in the morning. Praise them for prompt response to morning ...

Some reasons why teens drop out of school: There’s no single reason. Students drop out of school for a number of different reasons—and it’s typically a combination of many issues. Here are some of the top reasons students give for leaving school: Classes aren’t interesting Parents/family/adults have low expectations Poor attendance Failing in school Family responsibilities (work, caring for siblings, etc.) Becoming a parent Too much freedom  Warning signs to look for: What to watch for. There are specific factors to watch for in students who are likely to drop out of school. If you see one or more of these signs, get involved! You can give these students the Boost they need to stay in school. They don’t feel challenged in school. They don’t f...

Is  your teen listening? If you aren't texting in today's culture, you may not be talking! Many parents are experiencing that texting is the best way to communicate with their teens.  Although many prefer talking, many more parents have finally given into texting to their kids.  Even in their own home - room to room! What has happened to communication, discussions, and heart to heart conversations - face to face? Texting happened.  Technology happened, and here we are today. Here are 10 reasons why Lindsay Willison chooses to talk to her friends rather than texting: Texting cost extra on my mobile phone plan. I have better things to do than to work my fingers on a key pad smaller than the palm of my hand. I’d rather hear my friend’s voice. I can talk with them on my way somewhere, even in the car with the hands free voice equipment. I hate to read abbreviated English language – and writing it would really go against my grain.  Example...

What will teens come up with next to get high from?  Why don’t some of them understand the dangers of substance abuse – the risks that come with even experimenting with some of these drugs?  We just heard about the alcoholic whipped cream , now we have this next trend. Sizzurp: Another trend for parents to be concerned about. We’ve had several requests for information about cough syrup abuse recently. This is a good reminder to keep a close eye on the items in the medicine cabinet. Cough syrup is a main ingredient of Sizzurp . This is a mixed drink which consists of codeine cough syrup, a fruit flavored soda and often a Jolly Rancher. The codeine causes a feeling of euphoria which can impair driving, cause lethargy and extreme tiredness. Pop culture has embraced this trend in many songs and movies.  During this month – Partnership at DrugFree.org has also rolled out their campaign – You Are Not Alone . Many parents are more fearful of the stigm...

Do you know your school's bullying policy? As school will be opening, unfortunately we may start hearing about the ugliness of bullying and teasing of kids.  Many, if not most, schools have employed an anti-bullying policies and programs.  But what happens if they don’t work? A special guest post from Blair Wagner of A Way Through helps sort through this dilemma. Why Anti-bullying Programs Miss the Mark As I direct my focus to a new school year about to begin, I reflect back on the past school year and the approaches I’ve seen schools take to address school bullying among their students and their staff.  The one that really misses the mark is starting an anti-bullying program. It is common for us to see something we don’t like and to join an anti-[fill in the blank] campaign.  We talk about, write about, and complain about how bad it is.  Our focus is on resisting the thing we don’t like, in this case bullying.  We push agains...

Partnership at Drugfree.org is marching out their new campaign. Your Are Not Alone! You Are Not Alone , sponsored by The Partnership at DrugFree.org is dedicated to supporting the 11 million American families whose teens need treatment for drug and alcohol abuse - 1 in 7 seven teens! Back to school can mean new friends, new relationships and sometimes new peer pressure that is not positive.  Although many parents believe it is not their teen, the fact is - in many cases it is .  Once a family has accepted they are not alone - there is help out there, the sooner you can get your teen back on a safe and healthy path. With your help, we can lower the barriers families face in getting teens the treatment and recovery support they need. Work on bringing your family back together. Help us transform stigma and isolation into hope and change. Get involved today! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ partnershipdrugfree Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/YOU_R_ NOT_A...

As technology continues to influence and change our way of living, parents are now faced with the consideration of allowing their teenagers to prepare for or begin college through online courses for credit. During the past five years or so, a great deal of development in this area has been taking place, all with the backing of the U.S. Department of Education . There are, however, a number of pros and cons when it comes to this modern method of study, and launching young adults out into the world is a heavy responsibility. Most parents want to get through the process with no regrets, so it is wise to take the time to determine if online classes would actually be a good fit for your teenager. Let’s face it: not all kids and family situations are alike. What works well for some may spell disaster for others. With the growing number of options available in educating our children, this should certainly be considered from more than one perspective. Whether you’ve sent you...

Could your parenting style be driving your child to binge drink? For teenagers, friends play a big role in the decision to take that first drink. And by the 12th grade, more than 65 percent of teens have at least experimented with alcohol. But what parents do during the high school years can also influence whether teens go on to binge drink or abuse alcohol . Researchers at Brigham Young University have found that teenagers who grow up with parents who are either too strict or too indulgent tend to binge drink more than their peers . "While parents didn't have much of an effect on whether their teens tried alcohol, they can have a significant impact on the more dangerous type of drinking," says Stephen Bahr, a professor of sociology at BYU, and the author of the study that was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs . As part of the survey of 5,000 teenagers, Bahr and his colleagues asked 7th- to 12th-grade students a series of q...