What Does Brain Development Have to do With Teen Behavior?

By |

As I read about or listen to parents of adolescents, the most common comment I hear is that their kids seem to be regressing not progressing. Complaints of irresponsible behavior, disrespect, and unpredictable, often-explosive emotions seem to be the mantra of many parents of teens. In some cases this could also involve high-risk behaviors such as drinking, drug use and other illegal or morally questionable activities. Although these behavioral changes around adolescence are hard to deal with, new research in brain development suggests they are fairly easy to explain.

On the Lookout for the Subtle Sign of Child Sexual Abuse

By |

As we watch the story of the sexual abuse scandals unfold at Penn State and now Syracuse, the first response for many was shock and concern for the boys who lives were so profoundly affected. In speaking with many parents, the next response was “could this happen to my kid, and would I know if it did?”

It is a mistake to assume they would tell us, if something like this happened to our kids. Most children who suffer this kind of abuse never tell their parents. If the child is very young they may stay silent simply because they just don’t understand what has happened to them. It is also common that the victim may assume that if something this awful happened to them, they somehow must have deserved it.

On the Lookout for the Subtle Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

By |

As we watch the story of the sexual abuse scandals unfold at Penn State and now Syracuse, the first response for many was shock and concern for the boys who lives were so profoundly affected. In speaking with many parents, the next response was “could this happen to my kid, and would I know if it did?”

It is a mistake to assume they would tell us, if something like this happened to our kids. Most children who suffer this kind of abuse never tell their parents. If the child is very young they may stay silent simply because they just don’t understand what has happened to them. It is also common that the victim may assume that if something this awful happened to them, they somehow must have deserved it.

Where do I go for help? Using the resources of the Internet to get answers

By |

Talking to parents of adolescents today often includes the lament that “We just don’t know what to do, we never experienced this kind of problem when we were kids." Today’s youth face a host of problems that their parents never had to deal with while they were growing up. The most obvious example is the almost total integration of the Internet into the daily life of kids. Even for kids who don’t have their own personal computer or smartphone, schools, libraries, and friends with access provide opportunities to gain entry to the Web. This single change has delivered unparalleled access to information as well as some unanticipated problems such as the ability to post detailed personal and family information, cyber-bullying, and the possibility of exposure to Internet predators to name just a few.