Please Love Me (A look into teen suicide)

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By Penelope Przekop

For as long as she can remember, 17-year-old Peyton Bound has struggled to remain strong despite being lost in the whirlwind of her emotionally disturbed mother’s life … then she finds Matthew Adler at a frat party. He’s the first boy who kisses her with open eyes; Peyton finally sees herself in their sparkling reflection.

She’s sure that her fairytale moment has finally arrived, the day when everything will magically fall into place, and the burdens of her disturbing childhood will begin to lift. But when everything goes wrong, Peyton can no longer run from the truth about herself. Something is missing, and no one can save her.

Artist and writer Penelope Przekop grew up in Louisiana during the 1970s and 80s. Despite fictional elements, Please Love Me is her memoir; she is Peyton Bound, a character she created as a young adult to understand how she fell into a destructive relationship that led to a suicide attempt, and violent public cry for help.

As she wrote the book, she realized it was about much more than first love gone wrong. It was about her dysfunctional childhood, her mentally ill mother, and her desperation to break free. Please Love Me gives a raw voice to some of the deepest issues contributing to teenage suicide. It is an honest look into the human spirit's need for love and truth in a world full of craziness, and just how far some will go to find it.

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Learn more here.

Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nutured Heart Approach

By Howard Glasser and Jennifer Easely

Transforming the Difficult Child brings to life a new way of shifting intense children to a solid life of success. The Nurtured Heart Approach puts a refreshing spin on both parenting and teaching and reveals new techniques and strategies that create thoroughly positive behaviors.

The Nurtured Heart Approach® is a set of core methodologies originally developed for working with the most difficult children. It has become a powerful way of bringing inner wealth to all children while facilitating parenting and classroom success. It has a proven, transformative impact on every child, including those with behavioral diagnosis such as ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Reactive Attachment Disorder – almost always without the need for medications or long-term treatment.

Order today on Amazon.

Learn more at www.difficultchild.com.

WAKE UP: STUDY REVEALS 75% OF TEENS REPORT INCREASED KNOWLEDGE FROM PRESCRIPTION DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM

Orlando, FL ( April 3, 2013 ) – Results released this week by the independent research firm Touchstone Research Institute , reveal s the 2012 t een prescription drug abuse pilot program, WAKE UP!, to be a success . Compared to a benchmark survey of approximately 3,800 students conducted prior to the program launch, data shows that more than 75 percent of all respondents were significantly more aware of the dangers of misusing and abusing prescription drugs.

According to the U.S Office of National Drug Control Policy, most teens initially get prescription pills from family and friends, including straight from home medicine cabinets. Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. More than one - third of those abusing prescription drugs in the U.S. are between the ages of 12 - 17. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses h ave become the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide, and the leading cause in as many as 15 states.

WAKE UP! , established by The Pain Truth, a Florida 501(c)(3), was implemented in to five pilot schools , thanks in part to a grant from Millennium Laboratories, three in San Diego, CA, and two in Tampa Bay , FL. T he objective of the in - school prescription drug educational program i s to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and change perceptions co ncerning the misuse and abuse of controlled prescription medications among high school students , providing students with knowledge to make better decisions and prevent first use. WAKE UP! us es multi - media, social marketing and other tactics that are familiar and appealing to teens, but WAKE UP! program developers believe the real motivating force is the science - based facts presented to the students.

 Read the complete press release here.

Visit www.wakeupnow.org for more information.

LIONS and TIGERS and TEENS: Expert advice and support for the conscientious parent just like you

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By Myrna Beth Haskell

LIONS and TIGERS and TEENS is a compilation of the best installments of Myrna Haskell’s popular, syndicated column for parents of teens, teachers, siblings, grandparents… or anyone who interacts with today’s youth. Also included are several installments that have never before been published, now available exclusively to readers of this promising new book from Unlimited Publishing LLC.

This guide is a lighthearted journey through the ups and downs of raising teenagers. But it also provides serious, practical advice, brimming with tips from dozens of experts in the field. In addition, real-life lessons from more than 100 everyday parents and teens are shared, showing you what works in practice, as well as theory. Readers are invited to submit their own “Tips & Tales” at http://www.myrnahaskell.com for possible future publication.

The book covers a wide range of universal topics that parents of teenagers face, such as how to handle a teen’s first time behind the wheel; how to deal with lying; setting and enforcing curfews; and many more issues commonly faced by teens and those who care for them.

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Making a tough decision during holiday times

When it comes to sending your child to residential therapy it is probably one of the hardest decisions a parent can make.  It just doesn't seem normal to send your teenager to a behavioral modification program.  Let's face it - we all know that sending them to college is part of the circle of life, but no one prepares us for the potholes that some families face - residential treatment centers.

As the holidays approach a teenager's behavior can sometimes escalate and this can leave a parent with a decision that they don't want to make.  How can they send their child into a teen help program during this time of the year?

As a Parent Advocate and Parent Consultant, I share with parents that you have many years ahead of you to have many wonderful holidays together - however in some cases, it can mean saving your child's life by removing them from not-so-safe situations - especially if they are involved in drug use or hanging out with unsavory groups of what they consider friends.  With the extra time off from school -it sometimes can add up to more time for trouble.

Are you struggling with your teenager?  Confused about what school or program is best for their needs?  I founded Parent's Universal Resource Experts, Inc over a decade ago for parents that are at their wit's end - after I was duped and my daughter abused at a program that mislead us.  Our experiences are only to help educate parents - there are more good programs than there are not so good one.  It is up to you to do your due diligence.

Remember, family is a priority - your child's welfare comes first.  There will always be more holidays - let's be sure your child's safety and security are first and foremost. 

SuicideHotlines.com

Suicide Hotlines.com

For suicide prevention and emotional crisis, please take a moment to pass this on to someone you know is struggling or if you need this yourself.

You are not alone, there are people that care, people that will listen and help.

Visit www.suicidehotlines.com and click into your state.

Toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1-800-SUICIDE   1-800-273-TALK
1-800-784-2433   1-800-273-8255

Ask Listen Learn: April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Did you know that 83% of youth cite parents as the leading influence in their decisions not to drink alcohol?
Additionally, when compared to 2003, more kids today recall having the conversation with their parents about the risks and consequences of underage drinking.  This is encouraging news and emphasizes the importance of parents continuing these conversations at home.

The Century Council, a national not-for-profit dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking developed Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix in 2003 with a team of educators and professionals.  The program provides resources to start the conversation between parents and kids on the risks of underage drinking.

To kick-off Alcohol Awareness Month, the organization has teamed up with athletes and positive influencers, including Apolo Ohno, Bryan Clay, Mallory Weggemann, and Tyson Gay, to help reach youth and urge kids to take the pledge to say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking.

What are you waiting for?  Talk to your kids today!  Never stop talking.  They are listening.  Just look at the statistics - they speak for themselves.

Join Ask Listen Learn on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Born, Not Raised: Voices from Juvenile Hall

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By Susan Madden Lankford

 For two years, Lankford interviewed more than 120 incarcerated teenagers, eight of them weekly, and features their voices, views, writing and drawings along with interviews with pediatric psychiatrists, neurobiologists, judges, probation officers and other professionals in BORN, NOT RAISED.

In researching her book on women in jail, Lankford learned that a majority of inmates had at least two children in foster care, living with relatives or in detention. Many of them would end up in jail, too, because they lacked the basic parenting necessary to become productive individuals.

Jefferson-award-winning and number-one New York Times bestselling author Dave Pelzer writes, “Susan’s Lankford's BORN, NOT RAISED spotlights the raw stories of children traumatized by neglect, abuse and poverty. Working with outside professionals, Susan exposes an overburdened juvenile justice system, while offering powerful tools for change."

University of California at San Diego Professor of Medicine Vincent J. Felitti says, “This important book clearly illustrates the vast gap between what we typically believe of ourselves as a successful society and the dark side that contains our failures, which we prefer locking up or overlooking.”

Library Journal declares, “More policy-oriented than academic, this book is a powerful reminder of the social costs of neglecting the specific needs of at-risk youth.”

Lauri Burns, founder of Orange County, CA’s The Teen Project and author of Punished for Purpose, declares, “Susan Lankford has captured a powerfully personal glimpse into my life and the lives of other children in the Juvenile Hall system. Every parent should read it. I was so moved by this book’s message. If I hadn’t gotten rehab while incarcerated, I would have stayed a street prostitute and heroin addict.”

Order today on Amazon.
Watch a preview on YouTube.

Red Ribbon Campaign: Preventing Teen Drug Use

The National Family Partnership organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. NFP provides drug awareness by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.

Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. "I'm only one person", he told her, "but I want to make a difference."

On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent's side and shoved him in a car. One month later, Camarena's body was found. He had been tortured to death.

In honor of Camarena's memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction of alcohol and other drugs, had begun forming coalitions. Some of these new coalitions took Camarena as their model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the red ribbon.

In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families.

The National Family Partnership (NFP) and its network of individuals and organizations continue to deliver his message of hope to millions of people every year, through the National Red Ribbon Campaign.

Learn more - click here.

Odd Girl Out (Newly Revised and Updated Edition)

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By Rachel Simmons 

Just in time for BACK TO SCHOOL!

REVISED AND UPDATED with new material on cyberbullying and helping girls handle the dangers of life online.


“Peels away the smiley surfaces of adolescent female society to expose one of girlhood’s dark secrets: the vicious psychological warfare waged every day in the halls of our middle schools and high schools.” — San Francisco Chronicle

When Odd Girl Out was first published, it became an instant bestseller and ignited a long-overdue conversation about the hidden culture of female bullying. Today, the dirty looks, taunting notes, jealousy and social exclusion that plague girls’ friendships have gained new momentum in cyberspace; we need fresh, innovative strategies to help our girls come through it all.

Reinforced by up-to-the-minute research and enlivened with real-life stories, this groundbreaking book continues to be the definitive resource illuminating the most pressing social issues facing girls today.

“Passionate and beautifully written. A significant contribution to our understanding of the psychology of girls.” — Michael Thompson, co-author of Raising Cain

“Cathartic to any teen or parent trying to find company.” –Detroit Free Press

An American School Board Journal Notable Book in Education

Includes a Reading Group guide and Teacher’s Guide

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Informed Families the Florida Family Partnership

THE NUMBER ONE REASON KIDS GIVE FOR NOT USING DRUGS IS THEIR PARENTS!  

However, 40% of parents believe they have little influence on their children's drug use. Worse, 50% of parents expect their children will use drugs. 

When we ask kids what they would like us to do to help with the drug problem, the surprising answer is "talk to our parents about drugs." 

Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is a broad-based, grass roots volunteer/parent organization that is affiliated with the National Family Partnership. Informed Families is an education, training and support center for parents, schools and communities to help raise safe, healthy and drug-free children. 

We teach people how to say no to drugs and how to make healthy choices. To reduce the demand for drugs, Informed Families has focused its efforts on educating and mobilizing the community, parents and young people in order to change attitudes. In this way we counteract the pressures in society that condone and promote drug and alcohol use and abuse. The organization educates thousands of families annually about how to stay drug and alcohol free through networking and a variety of programs and services . 

Informed Families offers children's substance abuse prevention activities in various locations throughout the State of Florida. While the agency is headquartered in Miami, other service locations include the Orlando and Pensacola Regions.

Follow PACT Prevention Coalition on Twitter.

Help This Kid Counseling

Uriah Guilford - Making a difference.

From a Troubled Teen to a Successful Adult

From a troubled teen to a successful adult, I have had a remarkable journey to becoming a helping professional. I am able to relate to teenagers from my personal life experience, as well as guide them to positive change using my specialized education and training.
The challenges of today’s youth are tremendous and I believe that they need all the support that they can get. I work to strengthen families and increase adolescent’s chances for finding joy and success in life.

As a teen counselor, I specialize in connecting with young people, meeting them where they are and helping them to cope with the challenges they face. I am able to use humor and creativity to help my clients learn and grow. In many ways, I am the therapist that I wish I had as a teenager.

Please don’t hesitate to give me a call at (707) 520-4357 and find out if your teenager can benefit from counseling.

I would be happy to give you a Free 15 minute phone consultation.

Learn more - visit his website at www.HelpThisKid.com and follow him on Twitter and FB.

Parents Helping Parents: Join Us on Facebook

Are you struggling with a teen that was always a good kid - now making some horrible choices?

Are they hanging out with kids that are questionable?

Did you get a report card that was less than acceptable?

Have you seen evidence of them smoking or using other substances?  Maybe drinking?

Don't be parent in denial!  You are only prolonging them getting the help they may need.  You don't want to see them get arrested - you want to see them get back on a positive road to a bright future.

Join us on Facebook - and LIKE our community of professionals, parents and educators that want to help.

Also visit www.HelpYourTeens.com for a free consultation.

Teen Rage and Anger: Explosive Behavior

Child Rage: Explosive Anger in Kids and Teens

By Janet Lehman, MSW

Screaming fights. Destructive behavior. Volatile moods. Do your child’s anger and rage make you feel exhausted and out of control? In a recent Empowering Parents poll, Angie S. commented, “I walk on eggshells around my 15-year-old son. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’m afraid of his explosive temper.” In that same poll, more than 50 percent of respondents said that they end up “losing control and screaming back” when their child’s anger reaches the boiling point. But matching your child’s rage with your own angry response is not the answer. Janet Lehman, MSW, explains why—and tells you how to form a plan to help you handle their behavior.

By getting you to tiptoe around him, your child is teaching you to behave differently—he’s training you to anticipate his angry outbursts.

 

As a parent, one of the most difficult things you will ever have to do is manage your child’s behavior when they are in an angry, volatile mood. Whether you refer to it as a temper tantrum or extreme rage, I believe the most important thing you can do is create a “Rage Plan” to help you handle your child’s behavior. The following 5 steps are the basis of this plan:

1. Make sure the area around your child is safe. Make sure that the area your child is in is safe and that no one can be hurt if and when he lashes out. Remove yourself and any siblings from the area. Reduce any stimulation in his vicinity. Turn off the TV, lower the lights. The idea is to let your child wear himself out. (This step applies to adolescents as well as to young children.)
2. Try to get calm: Even if emotions are running high, work to calm yourself down. Talk to your child in an even tone of voice. Tell him that his behavior is unacceptable and that you’ll speak with him when he’s calmed down. Model good behavior for your child. Remember, kids learn from their parents, which is another reason you want to remain calm. You’re teaching him appropriate ways to manage stressful situations.
3. Don’t respond to name-calling or verbal abuse. If your child is screaming things at you, calling you names, or saying you’re “the worst parent in the world,” do not respond to it. Simply leave the room or send him to his bedroom. Don’t yell back at your child because it will bring you into his rage and make you the focal point of his anger.

Read the entire article from Empowering Parents - click here.

Order your FREE trial Total Transformation program today and help you help your children and teens

KidsHealth for Teens - TeenHealth

KidsHealth.org and TeenHealth.org is a vast website full of excellent and educational resources, tips and more about raising today's kids and teens.

About TeenHealth:

We're a safe, private place for teens who need honest, accurate information and advice about health, emotions, and life. TeensHealth is accessible 24 hours a day so you can get the doctor-approved information you need to make educated decisions — or help a friend who needs advice. There's a lot of confusing, misleading, and just plain wrong health information on the Web. Our mission is to tell it to you straight.

TeensHealth is part of the KidsHealth family of websites. These sites, run by the nonprofit Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, provide accurate, up-to-date health information that's free of "doctor speak."
A team of pediatricians and other medical experts reviews all KidsHealth content regularly to ensure the information is as current as possible. That doesn't mean TeensHealth takes the place of an in-person visit with a doctor. Nothing beats a personal consultation with a physician who can get your health history, do a physical exam, and talk with you one-on-one. What TeensHealth can do is help you learn ways to keep your body and mind healthy.

Sue Scheff: Wit's End Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen

By Sue Scheff

As school has opened, our phone lines and emails increase. Is your teen struggling already? Experimenting with drugs? Hanging with a less than desirable peer group? Underachieving? The list goes on.

Don't be a parent in denial, take action and be an educated parent. An educated parent is a prepared parent which leads to a safer teen.

If you are considering residential therapy, or your teen is starting to become uncontrollable, read Wit's End today!

Also visit www.helpyourteens.com for more information.

Sue Scheff: Teen Truth Live - Helping teens today

Recently I received an email introducing me to TEEN TRUTH LIVE films.
As school is opening, I encourage parents, teens, teachers, guidance counselors, therapist and everyone that works with today’s teens to watch these films.
They cover teen drug abuse, bullying, teen body image, peer pressure and much more. An education that everyone can benefit from.

About Teen Truth Live:

TEEN TRUTH was created to give students a voice, motivate them to think, and empower them to make a difference.TEEN TRUTH LIVE: BULLY and TEEN TRUTH LIVE: DRUGS & ALCOHOL are interactive, multi-media presentations that incorporate motivational speeches with student created documentary films. The award winning films, TEEN TRUTH: BULLY and its follow up TEEN TRUTH: DRUGS & ALCOHOL focus on social issues that can lead to school violence and drug or alcohol abuse while the personal speeches challenge students to think about how their reactions to these issues impact the lives of those around them. Ultimately, TEEN TRUTH LIVE challenges the audience to have a positive impact on their peers, in order to make school a safer, healthier, happier place

Sue Scheff: Too Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes you CRAZY!

By Annie Fox

I have read Annie Fox's Middle School Confidential book series for tweens, kids and teens and they offer real life characters that your child can relate to. The illustrations are fantastic!

When stress has the “survival brain” on overdrive, what happens to the “thinking brain”? How can teens learn to use the mind-body connection to stay cool and make smart choices when the pressure’s on?

This book is packed with practical information and stress-lessening tools teens can use every day. Dozens of realistic scenarios describe stressful situations teen readers can relate to. Each scenario is followed by a clear, understandable process for reducing or stopping the stress and making decisions that won’t leave a teen lamenting, “What was I thinking?”

Throughout, quotes from real teens remind readers that they’re not alone—that stress affects everyone, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life. Includes resources.

Check it out today on Amazon (use Amazon Box on the Sidebar) or Annie Fox's website!

Sue Scheff: A Relentless Hope - Surviving The Storm of Teen Depression

By Gary Nelson

After reading this book, I highly recommend it to anyone that has a tween-teen that you suspect is suffering with depression. Gary Nelson painfully describes his journey with his own son, as well as offering insights about Teenage Depression.

Visit http://www.survivingteendepression.com/ for more information.

His YouTube video on Teens Surviving Teen Depression has been both inspirational and encouraging to thousands! Take 10 minutes and learn more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1hSpxC_G24

Sue Scheff: TEEN HELP - Parents at their Wit's End!

Wit's End - Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen

A Mother and Daughter's True Story

By Sue Scheff

Compelling foreword by Dr. David Lustig (as seen on Oprah), author of Parent Survival Training.

It is July - teens are out of school and you may be a parent struggling with a teen that is controlling your household, sneaking out, defiant, disrespectful and more. All these negative activities and behavior may stem from peer pressure or feelings of low self worth. Many of these teens are highly intelligent, as a matter of fact, it is usually that very smart child that is capable of manipulation - or our "angel" child that you wonder where he/she went? That was my story.

If you are going through some hard times with your teenager, don't be a parent in denial, reach out for help, especially if you are looking for residential therapy. Learn from my mistakes, gain from my knowledge.

Order Wit's End today (from the same publisher that brough you Chicken Soup for the Soul).