Ryan Last, 17, a straight-A student and Boy Scout in San Jose, California, killed himself last February because he was “absolutely terrified,” his mother, Pauline Stuart, told CNN. In his suicide note, he described how embarrassed he was for himself and his family.
Topics: gaming, social media, sextortion
When we think of summertime, we think of dads coaching ballgames, dads fishing with the kids, dads at the grill flipping burgers. This stereotype of the “typical” father is reinforced every Father’s Day.
In the olden days, perhaps in your grandparents’ time, family meals were a given. The kids may have had play practice or a sporting event, but in general, the entire family gathered for dinner six to seven nights a week.
Topics: social media, drug trend, emojis
Every generation develops its own slang, its own secret language, and shorthand ways of communicating that keep parents in the dark about what they’re up to. As a parent, it’s frustrating, but it’s also a perfectly normal part of growing up.
Topics: social media, drug trend, emojis
Our kids these days live their lives through social media, watching TV, and playing video games. Unfortunately, several new studies are finding that all this screen time is having a negative effect on their mental health.
Topics: overdose, parents, screentime
We knew that the pandemic caused a serious mental health crisis among all ages, and that teens had an especially difficult time.
It’s hard to walk the fine line between giving our kids too much freedom and not enough. This is why it’s important that we begin early to build trust with them.
Too many people think that illegal drug use and drug overdose deaths can only happen to other people’s kids. Or to “losers” who come from a “bad” background.
Topics: safe homes smart parties
After Stanford University student Katie Meyer committed suicide last month, her parents said they’d seen “no red flags.”
It’s important that kids be allowed to make their own choices as they grow older. This helps them develop their decision-making skills, which they’ll need throughout their lives.
