TeenScreen- A New Tool in Teen Suicide Prevention

Posted in General Health, Self-Esteem by

Teen suicide is a serious matter.  We are bombarded in the news lately with stories and video of  teen bullying (cyber and other) as well as other forms of teen harassment.  Teens are feeling overwhelmed more than ever and I don’t blame them. It’s seems the stakes are getting higher as we are see an increase of teen suicides.  Many articles have told us that teens don’t tell their parents about the bullying that occurs (via Facebook, text, blogs, etc.) because they fear that their parents will take away their electronic devices such as phones and computers.  Clearly, the message that teens should talk to their parents about these issues isn’t fully solving the problem. We need other tools/options as well.

Teens need to be aware that other sources of information, help and support are out there.  Last weekend,  I went to a fund-raiser for Family Services of Marin and learned of a new tool in the prevention of teen suicide.  It’s called “TeenScreen” and was developed by Columbia University.  It’s the first screening of its kind that seems to identity the warning signals as all stage of distress, gives practical feedback/advice and has reduced teen suicide rates.  By administering this simple screening to teens, they can identify those on the “check list” as being in danger. Teens who have been given the screening were surprised to see just how accurate the readings were and some teens didn’t even realize that the issues they struggle with on a daily basis were “not common” and could lead to negative behaviours.  This is an amazing tool that’s inexpensive, practical and can easily be implemented by schools.

To learn more, go to:

TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups | Teen Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

Too Pretty to Do Homework?

Posted in General Health, Self-Esteem by

As a promoter of teen girls and self-esteem, I was so happy to see the AAUW address this issue. I couldn’t agree more with the statement that it’s hard enough to be a teen girl in today’s society without all of the media outlets bombarding girls with how they should look, dress, and feel.

Did you know the caption next to shirt advertised online read: “Who has time for homework when there’s a new Justin Bieber album out? She’ll love this tee that’s just as cute and sassy as she is.”

Since the T-shirt has been addressed by many groups along with AAUW, recent events have occurred that like to share with you. A great organization by the name of change.org took a stand and contacted the CEO of JC Penney and requested that the T-shirts/sweatshirts be taken down. I greatly respect their decision to pull the clothing and make  a public statement saying that this is the wrong messaging to send to young girls.

Unless something significant is done, we will continue to see these messages find their way into our lives via TV, Internet, magazines and retail stores. How do we make a strong enough and positive contribution to stop this type of messaging?

Too Pretty to Do Homework? « AAUW Dialog.

How to Help Your Teen Succeed in College

Posted in Articles for Parents, Tip of the Week by

My parents taught me many skills in life to prepare me and keep me on the right path.  As the youngest of seven, I had the advantage of observing trial an error by my older siblings.  By the time I came around, my parents had fine tuned their parenting skills.  Among the most important skills I learned were responsibility, hard work and dedication.  My parents did not believe in handing out money simply on demand. I had an allowance that I earned, was always told ways in which I could earn extra money around the house and I had my first job at thirteen. As a family, we had weekly responsibilities within the house that were to be completed on time or evening/weekend activities were forfeited. There was no whining or questioning, we knew the rules and simply obeyed or disobeyed and paid the consequences that were enforced on a consistent basis.

More importantly, from that responsibility, hard work and dedication came a sense of “independence” which I feel was the glue that truly helped me (and my siblings) succeed in college.  I could balance my check book, change a flat tire, get the most bang for my buck at the grocery store, think quickly on my feet and maintained an emergency fund all before freshman year of college. All thanks to my parents. That way the only unknown factor that I really needed to adjust to was the level of work expected of a new college student.  I watched many students and friends crumble around me because they couldn’t manage their time, money, relationships, and the daily pressures of day-to-day college living.  I truly think teaching children to be independent by way of responsibility, hard work and dedication is part of that check-list of life skills necessary for a successful transition to college.