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

  Teenage sadness and depression rates have been climbing since 2020. Parents are asking this question, “ Why is my teen depressed? ”    There can be many reasons for your teen to be feeling  sad or depressed.  While no one can explain exactly why,  many experts  say teens and young adults today probably face  more  pressures at home or school, worry about  financial issues  for their families, and use  more   alcohol and drugs.   This is in  addition  to keeping up with their  digital life.   3 Common Reasons for Teenage Depression:   Addressing depression is crucial for your  teenager’s mental health and wellness.  Understanding some of the common reasons for  depression  can help you help your child. It does not replace getting professional help.   1. Bullying.   Never underestimate the power of words and the long-lasting effect if has on your child. Gener...

  Finding out your smart teen has failing grades and may not be passing can be extremely stressful and frustrating. Failed classes lead to a lower GPA as well as may delay them graduating from high school on time. If your teen has a first-choice college that requires a higher GPA, lagging behind in school can also effect this. Once your teen starts falling behind, catching up can be difficult — when grades begin to plummet, many teens give up.   If your teen is  failing a class —or they’ve already failed the entire semester— take action . There are several things you can do to address the issue.   Why is my teen failing?   Once you realize your teen is failing a class or in  danger of not passing , it’s time to sit down and  discuss the problem .  Ask your teen for help uncovering the they are not passing.   Some students who start out strong get distracted, while others just aren’t motivated to stay on track. Maybe your teen gets involved in...

  Talking to Teens About Tragedy   Many of us remember Columbine as if it was yesterday. Since then the number of shootings, including school tragedies is overwhelming. It never gets easier to hear about, but what's more concerning is the impact that it's having on our young people. News is a 24-hour cycle these days not to mention your teen's social media feeds. Any news event about at tragedy will be played and replayed as details emerge. Chances are they will hear about a tragedy before their parents thanks to the internet.   Peers talk, televisions are left on for snippets to be overheard, and social media is a constant source of news. More often than not those facts your child receives about a tragedy won’t be accurate and can fuel anxiety. Teens need hear the facts , and you are  their best source.     How do we talk to our teens about these tragedies?   It's time to turn to the experts.   Dr. Michele Borba, a leading educational psycholo...

Years ago, generations earlier, school was never an option. We were expected to finish high school without even a consideration of dropping out or quitting. We all had road bumps, rough spots, as teens do — however dropping out simply wasn’t an option. Kids that left school to get a GED were typically facing legal issues.  Today more and more young people are not only thinking about leaving high school, they are avoiding school ( skipping classes  in higher numbers than prior generations) and don’t seem to value the importance of education.   No parent wants to hear their teen wants to drop out of high school, but it is something that about 1 in every 10 people do. This is troubling for parents because statistically speaking, kids who do not graduate from high school are limited in their job potential and make less money than those who do graduate. This is disheartening for a parent, and can cause an emotional reaction that may not be best for either of you.   F...

Having a smartphone contract can help your teen manage their screen time. Giving kids a cell phone means giving them a lot of responsibility. Having a  cell phone contract  is a good way to manage some of the challenges that can come along with a phone. This is especially important for kids who are easily distracted or who struggle with impulse control. A cell phone contract can also help set limits on how much kids can spend each month on apps. If time management is a problem, you can set “phone-free” hours during class or at mealtimes or bedtime. These are some of the reasons why a cell phone contract may be especially helpful for kids with  ADHD  . Creating a smartphone contract between you and your  teen (tween)  is an excellent way to teach your child about these  rules and responsibilities , as well as the  consequences  for not seeing them through. Be sure you go over every item in your contract, giving your child the op...

Interview with Sue Scheff by Career Thoughts Sue Scheff  has spent over 20 years (since 2001) helping parents of struggling teens. She has based her business ( Parents’ Universal Resource Experts ) off of her own experience as a parent of an at-risk child, and is motivated by the goal of helping other parents who find themselves in the same situation she was once in. By listening to the problems that their teens are facing and providing a voice of reason, she is able to help parents better understand the needs of their teens, and identify programs that they can turn to for help. Sue has also written a  book  on the topic, and has told her story on many programs including The Today Show, Dr. Phil, Anderson Cooper, The Early Show, Mel Robbins, The Rachel Ray Show, and CBS Nightly News with Katie Couric. Sue was gracious enough to  share her story  with us, and we hope that it will be inspirational to you as think of ways that you could turn your own life experienc...