But what really did the trick for me was this fun and excellent IU Acapella choir ‘Straight No Chaser’ singing Christmas carols.

Christmas carols do not have to be obvious and ‘boring’. If you have any of your bigger kids sing for the family this year, perhaps they can hustle things up a little, like this choir does, for some fun, kicks and drama.

Silent Night

There is still enough time for them to play and practice their made-up original songs made up of a medley of old Christmas carol classics.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol

And for their performance, perhaps they can even dress up in a fun costume, like a great Mickey Mouse outfit …..! (This poster makes a great gift btw.)

Alternatively, if your kids are not so into singing, or a bit more shy, reading a short-version of a classic Christmas story for the family.

It is another great way for children to show off their skills, and to be positively involved in preparing for the big family get togethers.

It is important to children to be part of the togetherness, and by contributing to the big event, it makes them feel important, invited, and special.

I look forward to hearing how you are managing to involve your youngsters this year in fun and constructive ways.

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren’t taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories.

You might be thinking that I’m really organized to be already working on scrapbooking my daughter’s high school memories. To be honest, I have a shoe box full of pictures of my daughter waiting for me to get to someday.

But if I wait until “someday” to continue taking pictures because I already have so many pictures I haven’t done anything with, then my daughter’s teenage years will come and go while I try to catch up.

I don’t want to chronicle every detail of my daughter’s life (nor would she want me to!), but I was trying to think of some memories that she might want to laugh about and maybe even treasure someday. So how do you do that without ending up with pages and pages of memories?

I decided to do two large (12×12) pages (facing each other in the album) for each year of high school. I will challenge myself to use this space creatively to tell the story of each year. When I started thinking of all the the possibilities, it really inspired me to start getting organized and collecting some great memories. And don’t limit yourself to just photographs, your scrapbook pages can really be accentuated by other types of memories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Photograph Ideas:

• High School Dances

• First Date/Boyfriend

• School Building

• Church Events/Retreats

• Braces (the day they’re removed)

• Hair Styles

• Clothing Fads

• Learning to Drive

• First Job

• First Car

• Best Friends

• School Plays/Concerts

• Family Vacations

• Favorite Family Pets

• Babysitting

• Sports/Band/Cheerleading

• Musical Instrument Practice

Other:

• CD Covers (scanned)

• Favorite Song Lyrics

• Drivers’ Permit

• First Pay Stub

• Programs from Play/Concerts

• College Brochures

• School Newspapers

• ASB Card

• Awards/Certificates

• Ticket Stubs (concert, movie, sporting events)

• Report Cards

You can be creative when you’re arranging your layouts. Don’t be afraid to cut pictures down or cut out portions of play programs or school newspapers. Just cut out enough to accentuate the other items on the page. You will create the overall effect from the entire page, not necessarily from an individual item.

Have fun and don’t worry if you don’t get it done all at one time. I figure if I can do one every summer for the previous school year, by the time she finishes high school (she’s a freshman this year), all of her high school memories will be recorded in the family archives.

About The Author

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more
inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her
web sites at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and
http://www.crafty-moms.com

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

Yoga is “preventative medicine” for children and adults. Yet the world does not embrace preventative action. Just look at hunger, global warming, health care, and poverty. Now you see that some people do take action, but many do not.

Educating the public about the many benefits, which children experience from Yoga practice, is a full-time job for some Yoga teachers. Although most of the public thinks of Yoga postures as a “mild” form of exercise; there are many more different aspects to Yoga practice.

Yoga is a complete holistic approach to health. Yoga teaches proper breathing, dieting, exercise, meditation, relaxation techniques, and many more natural solutions to health problems.

Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine have dieting practices based upon a person’s constitution or dosha. This same classification can be made for exercise routines. An Ayurvedic doctor will, most likely, recommend specific exercises based upon a patient’s dosha.

The entire approach of Yoga and Ayurveda is based upon preventative measures. There are also solutions for “damage control,” when a person has an existing ailment, but any doctor can agree that many of today’s health problems are preventable.

Let’s look at global obesity. The public is very tired of hearing about obesity. Your spam filters are working overtime to pull all of the “Instant weight loss” methods out of your Email box. If you read through the spam, you will notice that spammers want to sell you pills, not permanent solutions to obesity. The spammer’s approach is to make quick money off the public.

When the majority of our population refuses to exercise, the easy money is in selling pills, instant weight loss, and “snake oil.” There is a solution, but most of us will not like it. Yogic diets are full of fruit, vegetables, and natural food. Even in India, it can be observed that diabetes is on the rise, when people eat “junk food.”

As the Indian economy has improved, so has the “middle class appetite” for processed food. This runs parallel to western social and economic patterns.

What does this have to do with Yoga for kids? Yoga is a lifestyle and the earlier you expose children to good health habits, the better your child’s health will be.

As parents, we have many choices, but establishing good health habits, within our children, is an obligation. We also have to eat properly, and exercise, with our children. If you cannot go to a Yoga class, you can always take your child out for a walk. Parents are role models, and any child will copy the image, which you create for him or her.

Yoga classes for children are a parent’s gift of good health. Yoga gives kids a better chance to develop good habits, handle stress, find natural solutions to good health, and live a quality life.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

About the Author

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: “Yoga in Practice,” and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

NOTE FROM ‘RAISEYOURCHILD.ORG’: check with your physician if Yoga is appropriate for your child.

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

A different reaction came from my friend Sydna. When she received a letter from her son, telling that he was gay, she and her husband took the next available flight from their home in the West to the East coast in order to hug their son and assure him that he would always be deeply loved.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, says: “Some children will disappoint us by telling us they are gay and they won’t give us grandchildren….The real question is not, what book can I read what technique can I use to raise a perfect child? The real question is how will you handle that gap between the child you dreamt of having and the real child growing up in your home?”

Advice to parents is given in this statement by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops: “How can you best express your love, itself a reflection of God’s unconditional love, for your child? Don’t break off contact; don’t reject your child. A shocking number of homosexual youth end up on the streets because of rejection by their families….This child, who has always been God’s gift to you, may now be the cause of another gift: your family becoming more honest, respectful, and supportive.”

Jewish comedian Eddie Sarfaty, in When I Knew, tells of coming out to his grandmother and giving her a copy of Now That You Know, which he characterizes as Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Homosexuality But Were Afraid to Hear.
“Two weeks later I am home for a visit and to do some laundry. I see the book lying on the nightstand; the wrinkled spine and folded corners tell me it has been read. I turn to Granny who is busily working on yet another afghan.
‘Hey, Granny, did you read that book?’
The crochet hook stops, she looks up and says point blank, ‘Yes, and it’s disgusting!’
“My heart sinks and my guard goes up. ‘Disgusting?’
‘Yes, it’s disgusting! It says that some of the parents don’t love their children anymore.’
“She makes me cry.”

Many families are making plans now for the holidays. Will there be a place at the table for your gay child? Will there be “room at the inn” in your heart? Will each of your children feel truly welcome, respected and loved?
Mother Teresa spoke of all our children when she said, “Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.””

Author Description

Carol Lynn Pearson, in her new book No More Goodbyes: Circling the Wagons around Our Gay Loved Ones, shares compelling stories of homosexual individuals dealing with families, religion, churches, and suicide. The book is available at http://www.nomoregoodbyes.com. Don L. Wright, publisher.

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

The CuteKid Photo Contest Easily Submit Your Baby Photos Win College Tuition, Prizes, & More www.TheCuteKid.com

The schools have the responsibility of teaching us specific subjects like language, math, science, etc. In addition, though, our schools teach us social skills and the other life skills we need. In school, we learn how to schedule our time and how to make decisions.

After high school, some children go on to university, college, community college, or a technical school. Oftentimes, that’s our children’s first experience with true independence, which is a completely different kind of education. And, in addition to the formal subjects, schools of higher education also offer learning in social skills and other life skills.

The freshman year offers the potential for pitfalls, and students show their ability or lack of ability to handle independence quickly.

Food, money, recreation and study habits are the four most common problem areas in the freshman year. You can help your child succeed by talking with them about this ahead of time and helping them set specific goals in each of these areas.

Food: With the multiple choices in the school cafeteria, and no one monitoring their intake, children may choose based on taste rather than nutrition. The infamous ‘freshman fifteen’ weight gain comes from this.

Money: Unprepared students are likely to run into disastrous problems when they are suddenly expected to make payments for books, housing and tuition.

Recreation: Without supervision and a curfew, freshmen can get caught up in the excitement of seemingly unlimited time to play. Sometimes their dorm mates are of legal drinking age, leading to the temptation to party all the time when that seems to be the only opportunity for fun and socializing.

Study habits: Regular studying rather than last minute cramming is essential. Being a full time student is equivalent to having a full time job, and freshmen are often surprised by how much time they need to study in addition to the time spent in class.

You can help your college-bound child prepare for school by talking with her about these potential problem areas, and helping her set realistic goals. During the senior year in high school, you can help your teenager prepare for college by giving her the chance to practice more independence while still living at home.

You can give your teenager the opportunity to schedule his own time, to choose his own food, to budget his money and time, within some limits. It’s important to be balanced, giving him some freedom yet not too much.

The danger for teenagers who have had no choices at home is that they tend to go out of control when they first get to college and have complete freedom. Setting goals and achieving them, making wise decisions, and learning self- discipline are all habits that are learned over time, not overnight.

Of course, some students are better off taking some time between high school and college, or attending a community college and continuing to live at home. This gives your teenager the opportunity to learn important life skills before going on to formal education. As a parent, you can help your child to evaluate and decide the best route. If your student needs more time to develop maturity and life skills, you are wise to give them the time rather than pushing them before they are ready.

Whether your teenager goes directly from high school to college or takes a break, you can help them make choices and develop skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.”

Author Description

Lila Norden combines 14 years experience in education and consulting to offer valuable information, helping you make decisions about your education and career. Visit the web site FP Employment for additional articles and resources.

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

As most people say, time is money. It is also very important that people learn how to budget time so that they can be more productive and efficient.

The skill of knowing how to budget one’s time should be learned early on, especially before one joins the workforce. This is because having discipline with budgeting time is a skill that young people will find very important in the workplace. Young people can learn to budget time by focusing on their priorities.

Planning a study system

Planning a study system while you are in college can become an effective tool in making your college life more bearable. A study system can help you avoid the stress of cramming and all-nighters. Before you create your study system, you should first assess the subjects that you are taking and allot the appropriate amount of time that you think you need for each subject, depending on the difficulty of the subject. Your study system should also be flexible enough to allow changes, depending on how you do in the subjects.

Preparing and reviewing

In college, studying means that you need to prepare and review for subjects. Preparing involves reading assignments, doing library work, writing papers, memorizing vocabulary and solving practice problems. On the other hand, reviewing involves going through your notes, going over reading materials and clarifying new principles and ideas introduced in the class. To help you review, you should set aside a regular review period, which can help preparing and reviewing for exams much easier.

Finding time to rest

Apart from allotting specific times for studying, it is also important that you allot time for sleep and other activities that can relax you. You cannot spend all your time studying since doing so will only cause you to burn out, and you will not do well on your exams if you are always tired.

Starting early in learning the value of budgeting time can become a powerful tool for people who wish to live productive lives. Knowing how to budget your time does not only ensure higher productivity; it also means that you have enough time to enjoy the good things in life.

Budgeting provides detailed information on Budgeting, Budgeting Software, Capital Budgeting, Personal Budgeting and more. Budgeting is affiliated with Home Grants.

Copyright © by RaiseYourChild.org. All Rights Reserved.

Young people begin to challenge parents’ authority and the safety of their care in order to develop personal freedom and independence. This is a time when they begin to know the world they live in, their social systems become more solid, their school work becomes more challenging, many hold their own jobs and become active in extra-curricular and civic activities.

Ironically, during these turbulent years, as young folks work hard at establishing their self-identity and individuality they are very vulnerable to the pressures of the world and often look for security in their peers. Adolescence brings with it a period of apprehension, insecurity, and experimentation which produces a kind of sameness in order to become one-of-the crowd. These young adults begin to dress in similar fashion and wear similar hairstyles; they begin to talk alike, listen to the same style of music, and socialize with others of similar mind.

Individuality and maturity carries with it a long period of unreasonable judgment commonly due to a lack of life inexperience. Too often we hear reports in written and verbal media regarding the extreme ly high incidence of teenage pregnancy resulting in the death of mother and/or child, and in extreme cases, incarceration of one or both too-young parents. Drug and alcohol abuse is seen in children as young as ten years of age. Drug abuse now includes snorting of household chemicals, pulverizing standard over-the-counter (and prescription) drugs and snorting them.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death amongst American teens (aged 10-19), next to accidents and homicide. Three million people in the US cry out in emotional pain by "cutting", causing physical injury to themselves as a way of relieving internal emotional agony. Recent statistics report that there are more children in the population affected by divorce than there are children living in households with intact parental partnerships. 35% of our teens are at risk or are overweight (by 25 pounds or more). 20% are obese. It is incredible that very young children and teens alike are now being diagnosed with high blood pressure, dangerously high cholesterol levels, and the beginnings
of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and depression, asthma, allergies and ADD/OCD in record numbers. Almost 30% of our teens are diagnosed with eating disorders or other forms of mental or emotional illnesses.

Why? One can entertain many explanations. A record number of families are fractured by divorce. Parents are absent from the home too often. Social, spiritual, role model connections are often
sacrificed when the family unit is stressed. Our food sources are sadly depleted from vital nutrients due to additives during processing of our food and the stripping of nature’s soil for centuries of over use. Fast food has become a main source of nutrition in the home, in the car, and in schools nationwide. Children have become too busy and over-stressed by well meaning social activities. Our culture has become incredibly media minded, learning the wrong ways to health and happiness.

Computers have become too much of a source of our social and intellectual entertainment. Exercise of the mind, body and spirit is becoming extinct as a result.

What to do? Spend more time in a family unit to eat healthy, home cooked meals together. Take a few hours a week to play, take a walk, go to the park, concerts, game nights, etc. Look into community sponsored exercise and recreation courses. Worship together and develop a spiritual foundation to build upon. Contact a holistic nutritionist to set up healthy meal plans and dietary guidelines. Browse your local health food store for healthy choices in food and find holistic health professionals in your area. (Chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, yoga for physical helps; homeopathy, aromatherapy, and flower remedies for mental, emotional and social health are available everywhere.)

A Registered Bach Practitioner will offer supportive consultation and a personal remedy formula. The correct combination of essences will help turn negative moods and emotional states into positive ones. This gradual and subtle change supports one to be "who they truly are", decreases stress, and guides us wonderfully during challenging transitional periods. Self discovery, self-acceptance, increased confidence, and a happier path in life are all possible with flower essences. Consider essences to support the physical changes (self-image) during the teen’s years; for the transition from child to adult, and help with fear and apprehension. Your practitioner can offer essences that guide in setting healthier bound-aries in relationships. Essences can help balance anger, feelings of isolation, and even help determine the long-term goals in one’s life!

There is no reason for parents and teens to wander through this inevitable and challenging period of life without healthy supports. Call a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner today – and find your healthy balance today!

About the Author

By Mary Ann Dittmeier, BFRP.

Mary is a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner, and President of FIND YOUR BALANCE,
INC. Call for your confidential consultation and personalized formula of Bach Flower Essences. Begin your journey to emotional clarity, strength and balance. Mary Ann is available at 631-475-8308.

Remarkable results were also found with normal infants. Massaged infants showed less stress, were more alert, were easier to soothe and had better sleep patterns. Stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine significantly decreased. Serotonin (a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep and appetite) significantly increased with massage therapy. (Low levels of serotonin are associated with many disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and sudden infant death syndrome. Cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine and serotonin are often targeted in drug therapy.)

Statistics for children and adolescents were equally compelling. Symptoms of ADD and ADHD (a frequently diagnosed disorder in school-age children) significantly diminished. After receiving a 15 minute massage for 10 consecutive school days, the percentage of time on task increased from 43% to 77%. Scores on the Conner’s Scale (a frequently used assessment for diagnosis) decreased from 28.0 to 11.3. Dr. Field remarked, “…adolescents were less depressed and less anxious than they had been and their stress hormones (cortisol and norepinephrine) had decreased. They also developed better organized sleep patterns and showed more appropriate behavior after massage therapy. Long term effects reported by teachers included more time on task and lower Conners Hyperactivity scores.

In another study, computation time and accuracy were positively effected by therapeutic massage. After only one 15 minute massage, student’s accuracy increased from an average of 69% to 89% and time of completion decreased from 250 seconds to 234 seconds. Cortisol and state anxiety levels significantly dropped. Depressed children showed short-term and long-term gains from massage therapy. They were observed as more cooperative, less depressed and less anxious. In addition, sleep patterns significantly improved; time asleep increased from 79.7% to 91.3%. Children with PTSD showed a significant reduction in depression; from 28 to 16 on the CESD Depression scale.

Therapeutic massage also works for immune disorders. Children with cancer showed significant improvement on all blood count measures including white and red blood count, platelet count and hemoglobin level. Also, they were found to be significantly less tactile defensive and less depressed. Many other conditions were positively effected my massage therapy including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, asthma, migraine headaches, dermatitis, bulimia, anorexia, and more.
Practice

Therapeutic massage for infants, children and adolescents differs from adult therapy in many ways: Infant massage is usually taught to parents/guardians and is easy to learn. Massage offers a natural way to connect and bond. Infant massage is taught as an art that comes from the heart and is simply administered with hands. The most important lesson is how to connect, be aware and present through all states (crying, quiet alert, active alert, drowsy and sleeping) and stages of growth.

With children and adolescents, direct instruction may be given to the parent or guardian; however, the older the child, the more common it is to have the therapist perform the massage. The parent/guardian is present at all times and serves a vital role. Through observation and/or participation they learn new ways to connect, communicate and assist their child in the future.
Children should always feel empowered telling them that they are in charge. Parents, guardians and therapist are in control; their role is to guide and assure that the child feels safe and comfortable at all times.

The founding principle of HPMT is: feeling comfort, peace and ease eliminates dis-ease; quieting the mind to a state of stillness heals illness. Perhaps the greatest benefit of HPMT is that it presents a unique opportunity for children, parents and guardians to feel empowered and confident while learning about safe and nurturing touch.

A variety of techniques may be used for children and adolescents.

Reflexology is often a good starting point for many. Pressing and rubbing areas on the feet and hands elicits a healing response which reflexes to specific areas of the body. This technique may feel safer for shy clients. It can also be a useful method of assessment. Emotions such as fear, anxiety and anger are reflected throughout the body as tight muscles and are sometimes stored there as knots.

NMT – neuromuscular technique employs light, sustained pressure with thumb or finger which reduces built-up knots and relieves the symptoms of stress. Compression resets spindle fibers and effects pressure receptors which has a positive neurological effect. It is administered with a flat hand or fist and is applied with medium pressure in a rhythmical way. Kneading relaxes muscles and takes pressure off nerves. It involves lifting, grasping and releasing muscles. Percussion is stimulating at first; however, over time it can have a soothing effect. Using brief, rapid, rhythmic strokes increases circulation and tones the muscles.

At the end of the session, children often report feeling a sense of peace and ease. For some this is a first! They usually feel safer, more grounded and more in touch with themselves and their environment. Parents also report experiencing these same feelings. As the child heals, the family heals.

Other holistic techniques other than massage therapy may be included to enhance each session or they may be used exclusively. Clients can be taught many of these techniques to use between sessions to bring back feelings of peace when needed.

Some of these techniques may include: Reiki is a simple, yet powerful form of healing which means Universal Life Energy. During a session the Reiki practitioner simply sends healing energy by putting his/her hands on or slightly above the client’s body. Reiki is easy to learn especially for children who have an innate sense of healing energy. Reiki may be administered to ones self or others.

Polarity Therapy is a more precise form of energy healing that balances and revitalizes ones energy field. It was developed by Dr. Randolph Stone, a chiropractor who combined the wisdom of acupressure, chiropractic, Ayurvedic and Chinese systems of healing. The practitioner uses light pressure on meridian points to open and clear energy pathways, gently massages shoulders and feet, and clears chakras and auras through Intention using crystals.

EFT- Emotional Freedom Technique combines techniques used in hypnotherapy and acupressure. It works with the body’s bioenergy systems. While reciting positive affirmations, the client is taught to tap certain meridian points which alleviates, and sometimes eliminates, emotional distress.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to improve client’s psychological and physical well-being. The essence of these healing oils easily penetrates the olfactory membranes in the nose sending nerve impulses to the brain which ultimately affects the amygdala, the memory center for fear and trauma. Music is typically played during sessions. It is soothing and healing during therapy and can played between sessions which elicit the same effect. Yoga helps align the body, focus the mind and renew the spirit. Sometimes children like to get into child’s pose or other poses while receiving massage therapy to enhance its effect. Creative visualization creates healthy thoughts and in turn, healthy emotions. Creative visualization along with breathing and centering exercises is fundamental for teaching a child how to take “Time-In.” This helps them alleviate the need for a “time out.” Time In empowers; time out alienates.

Choosing a Practitioner
The first thing to look for in a Holistic Pediatric Massage Therapist is completion of a reputable program and license to practice in the state where service is provided. Of equal importance, though, is specialized training along with extensive and successful experience working with children. The ability to communicate with children is key. In this respect, someone with a background in childcare, education, special education and/or crisis intervention is ideal. The qualifying opinion that matters most, though, is your child’s. For this reason, an initial consultation that is child-centered and child-directed is critical. Children have an innate sense about who and what feels right and may help them. The interview process is usually brief. More often than not, children will ask to preview a session by “sampling” various techniques. The child has final approval on whether or not to book a future session.

Testimonials
Parents, caregivers, therapists and doctors have seen the benefits of Holistic Pediatric Massage Therapy. It is safe, effective and educates for a lifetime. Parent comments include…
“I have never seen him so calm. After only 15 minutes he almost fell asleep!”
“For the first time he has been able to face his nightmares… He really looks forward to (his sessions).”
“She is doing better in school and feels better about herself.”

About the Author

Bruce Cote is a licensed massage therapist who specializes in Holistic Pediatric Massage Therapy. He is trained in Touch and Massage for Children with Special Needs, Neonatal Massage, Infant Massage and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. His is a certified K-8 Classroom Teacher, Polarity Practitioner, Yoga Ed. Instructor and Reiki Master. He offers Holistic Pediatric Massage Therapy, teaches classes in Holistic Healing for Children and Families, and offers training in HPMT for parents, caregivers and massage therapists. For more information call 207 522-7257, e-mail bcote@anewawakening.org or visit www.anewawakening.org.

– end about the author – section

=================== For more Information on Reiki =======================
www.TherapeuticReiki.com

Safety on the Road

Highway safety should be a major concern for any parent of a teenager. Statistics from the National Safety Council indicate that traffic crashes are to blame for as many as 44 percent of teen deaths. In fact, roadway accidents are the top cause of teen fatalities in the United States.

Once your teen has a driver’s license, you may think you have little control over his or her safety on the road. But insurance experts say that you can exert a tremendous amount of influence. To begin with, you can show your teen a good example by refraining from speeding and by obeying all traffic laws. Your good driving habits can be infectious and can help keep your teen accident-free on the highway.

Limiting the number of passengers your teen can have with them is a good way to cut down on distractions. It also reduces the temptation to “show off.” Emphasize the rule that everyone that rides in the car with your teen must wear a seat belt.

It’s also important that you work to ensure that your teen’s vehicle is safe. Insurers recommend that teens drive older, sturdy vehicles that include a number of safety features such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, and head restraints. Attempt to discourage aggressive driving by avoiding cars that have high-performance tires or turbo-charged engines. Also, make sure that your teen’s car is properly maintained through oil changes, brake tests, clean windshields, and functioning headlights and tail lights.

Today it is getting easier to know where your teen is. Many teens have access to a cell phone, and some cars have GPS. You can even install a camera in your car that shows you how your child is driving, and reminds your teen that you can see what they are doing. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you have a relationship with your teen where she would feel that this would help her do better, and not one where your teen would feel that you don’t trust her. Your teenager needs to feel that you trust her, but it sure doesn’t hurt to check up on her. If she is really going to her friend’s house, then she is not going to throw a huge fit if you ask her to call you from their phone when she gets there.

Safety Online

It’s also important that you attempt to safeguard your teen on the information superhighway. Cruising the Internet is one of those teen trends that is likely here to stay. While venturing onto the World Wide Web can be risky to a teen’s psychological health and safety, online adventures can be amazing learning experiences.

To help ensure that your teen uses the Internet sensibly, make sure that he or she realizes that any information posted on the ‘Net should be considered part of the public domain. Therefore, if your teen ventures onto a forum, he or she should not give out personal information such as mailing address, phone number, or name of his or her school. Encourage your teen to exercise caution in all e-mail and instant messaging transmissions. You can also set an important ground rule, barring your teen from getting together with anyone that he or she knows only online.

Help your teen understand that they really do not know the person that they are chatting to if it is not a friend. You can do this by asking them questions about whether they make up information about themselves when they are chatting. You can discuss how easy it is to lie when you are not looking at someone, and how people can use the internet to pretend to be somebody else.

You can also use internet use monitoring tools such as PC Tattletale Parental Control and Monitoring Software that your children will not even be aware of. However, you do not want them to think you are spying on them. You will either have to approach the subject of violations carefully, or be upfront with them that you will monitor their activities.

Safety in Teen Dating

Unfortunately, teenage girls run the risk of being subjected to violence on dates in the form of rapes or physical assaults. Make sure that your teenager is aware of the warning signs of an abuser. The better educated she is, the less likely it is that she will become a victim. You may also encourage your teen to carry a cell phone with her on dates in case she encounters an emergency which requires police intervention. While you don’t want to overplay the threat of danger on dates, you also don’t want her to feel a false sense of security.

Tell her to call you if she is ever uncomfortable with a situation and needs a way out of it. Have a key phrase that she can use that will alert you as to whether she wants you to say she has to come home immediately (a valid excuse to get out of a date), or if she needs for you to come pick her up.

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof method for keeping your teenager safe in the world at large. However, with a little parental coaching, your teen may be much safer than he or she would be otherwise.

About the Author

By by Bonnie Foshee. Discover 11 Powerful Parenting Tips for a Happy and Successful Child at http://www.child-success-secrets.com