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

Let's face it, our teens want to fit in.  Even as adults we want to be part of a group but we also realize that there are limits and boundaries that we know we have.  Teenagers don't have the years of wisdom that we have to rely on.  Some adults still make mistakes with judgment of others. How can we help our teens to avoid these pressures when faced with them at school or otherwise? Here are three very good tips from one of the Five Moms at Stop Medicine Abuse : Start the conversatio n by telling teens that you understand it could be difficult for them to say no to their friends in peer pressure situations. Talk through ways they can handle different scenarios in which their friends are peer pressuring them to engage in risky behaviors such as drug or medicine abuse. Help them devise an “exit” plan in case they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation with their peers. Come up with a code word that they can text ...

After experiencing my good teen making some bad choices, I found myself surfing the Internet until I was so confused and stressed that I couldn’t make a decision. One group of specialty schools and behavior modification programs kept popping up wherever I clicked, and I figured they must be good. Then I received their beautiful glossy literature with a video that could make any parent weep. Once the initial sticker shock wore off, the cost was reasonable in comparison with other programs, or so I thought until I enrolled my child. The hidden costs added up like a grocery bill. I was totally misled by the sales rep and made a rash decision. Mistake number one: being clueless as to whom you are speaking with when reaching out to these toll-free numbers. This is a common mistake for parents in a desperate situation. A swift sales rep is there waiting for you; meeting questions with the answers you want to hear and making promises that convince you they can help your chi...

This is a difficult question that many parents have to face on a daily basis.  Parents who spend a great deal of time with their teenagers are often tuned into what is normal behavior and what is not.  However, even parents who are actively involved in the daily activities of their teenagers may overlook – or subconsciously deny – the earliest signs of a substance abuse problem. Some of the clues that your teenager may exhibit when using drugs or alcohol are fairly subtle, but others are rather obvious:   Many hours spent alone, especially in their room; persistent isolation from the rest of the family.  This is particular suspicious in a youngster who had not been a loner until now.   Resistance to taking with or confiding in parents, secretiveness, especially in a teenager who had previously been open.  Be sure that your teenager is not being secretive because every time he tries to confide in you, you jump on him or break his confi...