As marijuana use becomes more common across the country, and more
jurisdictions legalize the recreational use of cannabis, the inherent dangers of the
drugs are too often minimized.

Topics: parenting, teenagers, children, teens, social media, drugs

The teen years are times of turbulence when their bodies are changing radically, and their brains are pulling them away from the security of the family they’ve known their whole lives in preparation for living life as an independent adult.

Topics: parenting, teenagers, children, teens, social media, drugs

If only our kids knew what we know as adults:

• You have to work hard to achieve your goals.
• You can’t let yourself be distracted.
• You can’t solve your problems by hiding them in drugs or alcohol.

Topics: parenting, teenagers, gaming, children, teens, social media

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

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

Topics: social media, drug trend, emojis

There’s something about the anonymity and ease of digital communications that often brings out the worst in people, including children.

Topics: Facebook, social media, cyberbully

We’ve written about the potential dangers kids may encounter on social media, but recently we saw a case where social media helped rescue a 16-year-old girl from her kidnapper.

Topics: social media, tiktok, safety

Teens have always had issues with self-esteem. The captain of the football team, the head cheerleader, and the “in” crowd were present long before social media came along.

Topics: self esteem, teenagers, teens, social media

Adapting to Change…who likes it? The Answer…no one!

Adapting to the shelter-in-place order forced on us during the COVID-19 crisis is showing some early adapters: the winners are colleges and schools making the switch from sitting in a classroom to having the classroom on your laptop. Hats off to you!

One of my college-age granddaughters sent me a text yesterday, but when I called her back (generational thing) she replied back via text: I’m in class can’t talk right now.

Many schools are requiring the students to show up for their online classes in their school uniforms or in the school’s dress code. Schools are getting on with business, the content is the same, but the delivery is different.

Informed Families was scheduled to be closed for Spring Break this past week, but we canceled it. Why? So we could get our Lock Your Meds curriculum online and ready to use when Miami-Dade County public schools reopened on March 30. Schools, teachers, parents and students rely on Informed Families to provide them the latest information, tips, and resources to keep kids safe, healthy & drug free.

Topics: President's Message, education, Webinars, prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, teacher tools, lesson plan template, Peggy Sapp, social media, Covid-19