ParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.com/media/feedlogo.gifParentDishhttp://www.parentdish.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Parenting an ADHD Child, Age by Agehttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/21/adhd-child/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/21/adhd-child/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/21/adhd-child/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Watch a video on treating ADHD.

The benefits of following some tried-and-true parenting techniques can provide you with even greater rewards. Credit: Getty Images

Establishing good parenting skills, educating yourself and advocating for your child are the most important tools for successfully raising your ADHD child.

While the challenges you face may be more intense than those of most parents, the benefits of following some tried-and-true parenting techniques can provide you with even greater rewards. Your ADHD child will learn appropriate behaviors when you create clear routines and expectations, as well as set and enforce limits. Don't make things too complicated. Just establish some straight-forward rules and time lines, and your child will be better able to navigate at every stage.

Preschoolers
Because the brain is still developing and few medications are approved for children at this age, this is the period in which parents are most "on their own." Most helpful at this stage is behavior modification and environmental adjustments. In our world of super stimulation, it may be best to minimize your child's surroundings -- a smaller classroom, with less activity, and a definite routine can help improve preschoolers' ADHD symptoms.

The National Institute of Mental Health conducted a Preschool ADHD Treatment Study and found that when parents consistently used techniques such as offering consistent praise, ignoring negative behavior and using time-outs, they were successful in helping their ADHD children adjust to the preschool setting.

School-age
Most children are diagnosed with ADHD once they start grade school because their difficulties with focus and lack of control become more apparent (and problematic) when faced with more formal learning and social situations. For parents, this can actually be helpful because while your child may face greater challenges, it's also possible you'll receive more support. Be sure to talk to teachers, administrators and counselors to see what resources are available to you and your child within the school community.

Children at this stage need to know exactly what others expect of them. Since they can't "read between the lines," they don't do well in ambiguous situations. Behavioral parent training programs can be very effective here. They will help you narrow your focus to a few specific behaviors and help you to set limits, and follow through in a consistent manner.

Tweens
In middle school, a more challenging curriculum and the onset of adolescence can certainly intensify the lives of ADHD kids and their parents. Parents may need to try new approaches, from adjusting medications to developing new strategies to help cope with more complex schedules.

Parents should steer their middle schoolers to take more responsibility for their overall well being. Behavioral therapy should also focus on strategies that kids, rather than parents, can use to get their work done.

At this stage it's also important to reassure your tween that having ADHD is not a fault or a punishment. Remind your child that ADHD is a medical condition, like asthma or nearsightedness, and that, with treatment, she can prevent it from limiting her success.

Teens
Although symptoms may seem less severe in the teen years, it's important for parents to continue to advocate for their children. ADHD students may qualify for accommodations such as being issued extra time on standardized tests in school.

Issues that prove challenging for all teens -- identity, independence, drugs and alcohol, sexuality -- can be magnified for teens with ADHD. If you've been dealing with the disorder since childhood, you may have an advantage over non-ADHD parents in that your child is comfortable with all-important limits and boundaries.

Probably the best thing you can do for your ADHD teen is to help him find his strengths and give him opportunities to experience success. Reinforce some of the positive or "surplus" aspects of ADHD symptoms. Remind your child that impulsiveness can lead to creativity; intrusiveness can be interpreted as eagerness, while sincerity is just plan heartwarming, and sincere.

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]]>adhdtreating adhdtreatment for adhdCarolyn RogalskyThu, 21 Apr 2011 16:30:00 ESTGirl-On-Girl Video Violence A Troubling Teen Trendhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/girl-on-girl-video-violence-a-troubling-teen-trend/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/girl-on-girl-video-violence-a-troubling-teen-trend/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/01/girl-on-girl-video-violence-a-troubling-teen-trend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Watch Video Related to This Article

Physical fighting is a growing trend among girls. Credit: Getty Images

If your teen daughter aspires for a career in the limelight, the road to rock-star fame has gone viral, and there's a role for you, too: Goad her on as she stages a girl-on-girl fight and capture it on video.

Prosecutors across the country are seeing a dangerous trend of increased girl-on-girl violence posted on YouTube, and some fear that the cause may be rooted in reality TV shows like MTV's "Teen Mom 2," NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.

Earlier this week "Teen Mom 2" star Jenelle Evans was charged in North Carolina along with two others for fighting in public, according to CBS News. A videotape of the fight was released online, showing with her friends goading on the smack down.

Videos posted on YouTube are showing a violent, disturbing trend, Sanders reports. He says in the NBC report that reality TV shows are partly responsible for leading girls to believe that outrageous and violent behavior in front of the cameras is somewhat acceptable.

"We're watching these programs and thinking, 'Nobody would behave like that,' and assuming our children feel the same way - horrified to see it, not excited," prosecutor Wendy Murphy tells the Today Show's The Clicker. "But I think the line for kids between entertainment and warning signs, they're not always clear the way adults are. ... Kids are seeing it in a celebratory way on television. This is how you become famous. They feel this is normal - not just acceptable, but normal. The way they should be."

Psychiatrist Janet Taylor tells Today she agrees and feels the link between reality TV and teen violence comes in part from the lack of consequences shown on such programming.

"I mean being reckless, trying new things, and not worrying about consequences is part of being a teenager," Taylor tells Today. "So what happens on these shows is you see no consequences. You see 'Teen Mom' and people think they're getting paid, but they don't look at what's so hard - 24/7 raising a child. Nor do they see the consequences of assault, which is what we're visualizing with these videos."

The growing trend in girls fighting on video has anti-bullying campaigners calling for tighter federal controls on YouTube after a video of a violent fight between a bullied schoolgirl and her classmate was posted on the website, according to the Daily Mirror.

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]]>girls fightingyoutubeMary Beth SammonsFri, 01 Apr 2011 17:30:00 ESTThe Hero Next Door: Kim Tschirrethttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/25/the-hero-next-door-kim-tschirret/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Kim Tschirret, a mother in Raleigh, N.C., started Hope Reins, a program that puts together troubled children and rescued horses.

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]]>the editors at MarloThomas.comFri, 25 Mar 2011 17:00:00 ESTTry This: How Do You Keep Your Kids Away From the Wrong Crowd?http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/07/try-this-how-do-you-keep-your-kids-away-from-the-wrong-crowd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/07/try-this-how-do-you-keep-your-kids-away-from-the-wrong-crowd/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/07/try-this-how-do-you-keep-your-kids-away-from-the-wrong-crowd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



You can only make your child's play dates for so long until the time comes when they become their own social coordinators. It's out of your hands and you hope that they choose to play with the nice kids on the playground.

But, if you do find that you don't exactly approve of your kid's friends, our resident AdviceMama lends a hand:

"Stop criticizing her friendships, which she could easily take as an unfavorable judgment about her, since she's chosen them," she advises.

Instead, look for ways to connect with her friends because if they feel comfortable with you, you can positively influence them as well. After all, your teen does value your guidance but will not respond well to being told how to think or what to feel.

How do you get your kids to hang with the right crowd?

Looking for family meal ideas? Get tips from other parents at KitchenDaily.

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]]>AdvertiserMon, 07 Feb 2011 00:01:00 ESTHow to Address Violent Behavior in Childrenhttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/20/how-to-address-violent-behavior-in-children/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

violent children

If a child tries to find a solution to his or her violent behavior, it's more likely to stick. Credit: Getty Images

When parents catch their children acting violent, they need to address it.

Allowing a child to kick, hit, bite or hurt another person without consequences can cause a child to become violent in a worrisome way, child behavior experts say.

"You have to make it very clear that it's not acceptable," says William M. Buzogany, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Dousman, Wis. "You have to break the cycle. If he can get away with it, he's going to do it again."

But in addition to disciplining a child, it's also important to have a discussion about what violence is and why your family doesn't tolerate it, adds David Lowenstein, a psychologist in Columbus, Ohio.

After an incident, ask the child to come up with a better way to address his or her feelings, Lowenstein suggests. Spend some talking about what happened, why it was wrong and how to do better the next time, he says.

If a child tries to find a solution to his or her behavior, it's more likely to stick, Lowenstein says.

It's also important for parents to follow through with threats and punishments, he says, adding that if you tell a child you're taking his or her cell phone away for a month, you've got to do it.

Parents should worry if a child shows no remorse for violent behavior, Lowenstein says, and that parents need to help their children develop a conscience.

"We can breed (violence) by not giving (children) a sense of responsibility," he says.

Violent behavior that becomes repetitive, chronic or harmful also is cause for worry, Buzogany says. When you notice a problem, talk with the child's teachers to see if he or she is having issues at school, he says.

It's a good idea to discuss concerns with a pediatrician or family doctor before consulting with a psychiatrist.

Parents have to walk a fine line between seeking help "way too quickly" and waiting "until there's some serious trouble," Buzogany notes. "You don't have to go to a psychiatrist right away," he says. You want kids to "take some responsibility for their behavior."

He also recommends counseling before trying to use medication to change behavior.

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]]>disciplineevergreenhittingkickingviolent behaviorviolent childrenMelissa Kossler DuttonThu, 20 Jan 2011 12:00:00 ESTNew Jersey Town Could Drug Test Middle Schoolershttp://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/11/new-jersey-town-could-drug-test-middle-schoolers/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/11/new-jersey-town-could-drug-test-middle-schoolers/http://www.parentdish.com/2011/01/11/new-jersey-town-could-drug-test-middle-schoolers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

belvidere middle school drug test picture

Sixth, seventh and eighth graders could get randomly tested for drugs. Credit: CBS

One New Jersey school district might soon add a new kind of pop quiz to its middle school curriculum: random drug testing.

On Wednesday, the Board of Education will vote on the proposed policy, under which sixth, seventh and eighth graders in Belvidere, N.J., would be subject to testing, CBS New York reports.

Oxford Elementary School Principal Sandra Szabocsik tells ParentDish she has gotten mostly positive feedback from the parents she's spoken to about the proposal.

"Belvidere is a small town and there's not a whole lot to do," Szabocsik tells ParentDish. "The younger kids tend to hang out with their older brothers and sisters. The hope is that knowing that they may be drug tested at school the next day will serve as a deterrent."

The American Civil Liberties Union disagrees.

"Random drug testing does not reduce drug use among young people," Jay Rorty, director of the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project, tells ParentDish. "The high cost, high incidence of false positives and intrusive nature of the test make random testing a poor tool in the important work of drug education."

The drug test itself is a "five panel" test and officials are not allowed to say exactly what they are testing for. Szabocsik says she's unsure if alcohol is included, but says the district considers alcohol a drug.

Drug tests usually check for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines and PCP, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. However, "if a school has a particular problem with other drugs, such as MDMA, GHB or steroids, they can include testing for these drugs as well," the NIDA website states.

If a Belvidere student tests positive, he or she will be given in-school counseling, as well as a referral to an intervention if appropriate. Szabocisik says she's not sure what happens if a student refuses to get counseling.

To participate in the voluntary program, both parents and students must consent.

School officials note that kids who test positive will not be punished, nor will the police be notified. Rather, they would get counseling or be referred to a drug rehab center.


Drug testing is already mandatory for Belvidere High School students who park on campus, join clubs or participate in sports, CBS New York reports.

Schools have had greater freedom to conduct random drug testing since a 2002 Supreme Court ruling allowed random drug testing for all middle school and high school students participating in competitive extracurricular activities -- not just sports, which was the previous policy.

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]]>random drug test for middle school studentsrandom drug tests for high school studentsRandomDrugTestForMiddleSchoolStudentsRandomDrugTestsForHighSchoolStudentsColleen Egan and Sandy MapleTue, 11 Jan 2011 14:37:00 ESTThe Brat Pack: Kids Are Simply Angels in Disguise, Parents Thinkhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/14/the-brat-pack-kids-are-simply-angels-in-disguise-parents-think/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/14/the-brat-pack-kids-are-simply-angels-in-disguise-parents-think/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/14/the-brat-pack-kids-are-simply-angels-in-disguise-parents-think/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

brat pack

Your perfect baby isn't so flawless. Credit: Jerome Tisne, Getty Images

Hey parents, next time you're at the mall shopping for "Santa's" gifts (like tomorrow) and your find your patience flaring up at a bunch of unruly kids (not yours of course), just roll your eyes and chalk it up to their clueless parents.

Temper tantrums, mall meltdowns and badly behaved kids aren't necessarily the result of purposefully careless parenting; they're the result of the more than 95 percent of parents who think their little brats are angels, according to a study in Today Moms.

So, basically the study finds that there's a nation of parents in denial.

Certainly, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule, but these days other people's children (never our own), that act up, whine or say "I want," or "gimme," instead of "please" and "thank you," do so because only four percent of the nation's parents admit their kids aren't well-behaved, according to a government study on family health reported Today Moms. Instead, they think they're all little angles, the online news says.

Officials at the National Center for Health Statistics officials interviewed the parents of nearly 84,000 children between 2001 and 2007 about everything from stepparents to hay fever about their health. The main finding was that families are more diverse, and that kids in more stable homes are healthier, the site reports.

But a surprising nugget that emerged in one line of questioning of families with kids ages 4 to 17 found that 96 percent of parents felt their kids were well-behaved and did exactly what they were told to do, the report says.

Turns out boys parents fessed up to misbehavior a tad more -- 4.2 percent of parents of boys said their sons were not well-behaved. Only three percent of the girls' parents felt that way, according to Today Moms.

Are these parents clueless?

Experts at the National Center for Health Statistics tell Today Moms they don't think that parents are lying, that face-to-face interviews usually lead to pretty accurate answers.

But study author Debra Blackwell reviewed a single year, 2007, and says that about 20 percent of parents actually said their kids were "somewhat" well-behaved, a category not included in the published study.

Still, that leaves more than three-quarters of parents who said their kids "certainly" were little angels.

Blackwell kindly suggests in the online magazine that perhaps parents simply don't remember the details of kids' bad behavior over six months.

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]]>behaviorChildrens disciplineChildrensDisciplineMary Beth SammonsTue, 14 Dec 2010 17:10:00 ESTReport Looks at Internet as Influence in Suicideshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/02/internet-studied-as-influence-in-suicides/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/02/internet-studied-as-influence-in-suicides/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/12/02/internet-studied-as-influence-in-suicides/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

suicide photo

Rutgers students attend a candlelight vigil for suicide victim Tyler Clementi. Credit: Reena Rose Sibayan, AP


The increase in the number of reports about online suicide pacts, often between people who have never even met, suggests the possibility of a growing phenomenon, according to a report released today by British medical journal The Lancet.

Suicide prevention organizations, like National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the U.S. and Samaritans in the UK, have already started taking steps to combat this in a number of ways -- such as purchasing Google ads so their helpline phone numbers appear at the top of the page any time someone searches for terms related to suicide.

A similar mechanism can also be found on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube; in addition, Samaritans is said to be in talks with social networking sites to create a system, by which friends or family can raise concerns about a specific individual, says The Lancet.

In the current report, Lancet Senior Editor Niall Boyce says the Internet can be a positive tool for those experiencing emotional distress, however, the balance between risks and benefits can be hard to quantify.

On one hand, the Internet can help develop social connections and provide an anonymous, confidential space for people to express themselves and find sympathetic ears. An example of this is the "It Gets Better" project, a website targeted to LGBT youth that recently came into focus after the tragic suicide of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi. The site shows the power of the Internet to reach out to individuals facing social isolation and adversity, Boyce says.

On the other hand, the Internet can also be used in less constructive ways. It can be used as a way to bully others and can provide free, immediate access to potentially harmful information and interactions for those who are vulnerable, says Boyce.

But concerns about media romanticizing suicide, presenting self harm as a solution or explicitly detailing methods are not new, with reports of copycat suicides occurring as far back as the 18th century, after a description of a ritualistic suicide was published in the Goethe novel, "The Sorrow of Young Werther," Boyce notes. In fact, the term Werther Effect was coined in 1974 by American sociologist Dave Phillips to describe the phenomenon of suicidal behavior modeled on media portrayals.

The Lancet cites two recent reports from the Australian Mindframe National Media Initiative, which examine the current evidence linking the portrayal of suicide and mental illness. One concluded that "there is a need to err on the side of caution." The other concluded that "presentations of suicide in news and information media can influence copycat acts in particular circumstances."

But, with regard to the Internet, it is "much harder to research than traditional media because it's such a changing medium -- so the evidence base surrounding its potential for positive or negative impacts is much weaker than that for media like newspapers and television," according to Professor Jane Pirkis of the University of Melbourne, coauthor of these reports.

However, the rapid, global spread of news over the Internet highlights the need for reporters to consider their responsibilities when covering stories about suicide, Boyce says, as there's a definite distinction between raising awareness in a positive way and acting as a "vector for dangerous patterns of behavior."

Suicide expert David Gunnell, Professor of Epidemiology at Bristol University, tells The Lancet he believes there is an increasing degree of shared understanding and concern over the issue between suicide prevention experts and the media, yet he emphasizes that the speed and volume of information turnover on the Internet means "regular reminders" are necessary.

Clare Wyllie, The Lancet's Head of Policy and Research, suggests researchers need to study how vulnerable people use the Internet, whey they use it, what helps them and what is destructive.

To this end, Boyce suggests that suicide researchers now need to study the path that people with suicidal thoughts travel online and to work out when and how to intervene.

"It might help if we think of online space not as a separate, virtual world, but as an extension of this one, albeit with different modes and styles of interaction," Boyce concludes.

If you're concerned that someone you care about may be having suicidal thoughts, or you would like more information, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

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]]>internetinternet suicideInternetSuicideLancetreportstudysuicidethe lancetTheLancettyler clementiTylerClementiHoney BerkThu, 02 Dec 2010 18:30:00 ESTStepdaughter Disrespectful and Aggressive: What Can We Do?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/15/stepdaughter-disrespectful-and-aggressive-what-can-we-do/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/15/stepdaughter-disrespectful-and-aggressive-what-can-we-do/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/11/15/stepdaughter-disrespectful-and-aggressive-what-can-we-do/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dear AdviceMama,

My stepdaughter recently moved in with her mom because she disrespected everyone here, especially her dad. She hits him, curses at him and recently broke a picture frame over his arm. If you ask her not to act that way she becomes more angry and does it more. She's only 11. Is there help out there for her? What should we do?

Signed,
Concerned Stepmom

Dear Concerned,

Your stepdaughter is one hurting child. It would be easy to dismiss her actions as simply the out of control behavior of a little girl who needs to be disciplined; I suspect many readers might just tell you to keep her away or punish her more severely.

But what I know from thousands of hours of listening to people as a therapist is that underneath that kind of rage is tremendous pain. While I can't tell you what, specifically, has caused this kind of hurt for her, it's clear that her acting out is at least in part a result of unexpressed anger that's finding it's way out into the world in the form of aggression.

Here's my advice:

Let her stay at her mom's for now, because it does no good to any of you to let her get away with violent outbursts. But do make sure that your husband -- and you, to some degree -- stay connected with her. He should be sure to call her each day, and to take her out for meals, walks, movies or bowling. The more he nourishes a genuine attachment with his daughter, the less inclined she'll be to rage at him.

Consider counseling. Your stepdaughter needs help getting to the root of her anger, and your husband needs to learn how to help her safely vent her frustrations and sorrow. Given the severity of her aggression, I would strongly encourage you to get some professional help before her impulsivity and mood instabilities escalate as she moves into adolescence, perhaps with more serious implications.

Give your stepdaughter the opportunity to feel seen and cherished by you and her father. Even if she's awful at times, she no doubt also has wonderful qualities that deserve to be acknowledged. If all the focus is on how terrible she is, she'll eventually come to believe that she's, well, terrible, keeping her in the cycle of "proving" how bad she is.

Don't give up on your stepdaughter. As disruptive -- and maybe scary -- as her behavior has been, there is a wounded child underneath the tough exterior. The sweet and real version of her is in there; help her rediscover who she is under the hurt, both for her benefit, and that of your family.

Yours in parenting support,
AdviceMama

AdviceMama, Susan Stiffelman, is a licensed and practicing psychotherapist and marriage and family therapist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in developmental psychology and a Master of Arts in clinical psychology. Her book, Parenting Without Power Struggles, is available on Amazon. Sign up to get Susan's free parenting newsletter.

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]]>Susan Stiffelman, MFTMon, 15 Nov 2010 11:00:00 ESTStudy: Half of Teens Admit Bullying in Last Yearhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/study-half-of-teens-admit-bullying-in-last-year/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/study-half-of-teens-admit-bullying-in-last-year/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/27/study-half-of-teens-admit-bullying-in-last-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


bullying picture

Half of teens admit bullying in past year. Credit: AP




LOS ANGELES (AP) - Half of high school students say they've bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half say they've been the victim of bullying, according to a national study released Tuesday.

The survey by the Los Angeles-based Josephson Institute of Ethics asked more than 43,000 high school students whether they'd been physically abused, teased or taunted in a way that seriously upset them. Forty-three percent said yes, and 50 percent admitted to being the bully.

The institute's president, Michael Josephson, said the study shows more bullying goes on at later ages than previously thought, and remains extremely prevalent through high school.

"Previous to this, the evidence was bullying really peaks in middle school," Josephson told The Associated Press.

He said the Internet has intensified the effect of taunting and intimidation because of its reach and its permanence.

"It's the difference between punching someone and stabbing him. The wounds are so much deeper," Josephson said.

Josephson added the survey's results don't surprise him because his group has conducted similar studies without publishing the results. But he said he still finds the numbers "alarming."

In the survey, 10 percent of teens admitted bringing a weapon to school at least once, and 16 percent admitted being drunk at school.

Josephson said that means victims of bullying are in danger of striking back violently.

"You have a combination that is a toxic cocktail," Josephson said.

The study reported responses from 43,321 high school students from around the country, and the margin of error was less than 1 percent.

Rick Hesse, a professor of decision sciences at Pepperdine University, said the survey involved voluntary self-reporting and was therefore not a random, stratified sample of the U.S. population. But he said the large number of people surveyed and the lack of corrupting factors mean certain valid conclusions can be drawn from the results.

The study's release comes in a year of several high-profile suicides related to bullying, including that of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince of Massachusetts, who prosecutors say was relentlessly bullied by the six girls charged in her death.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education sent letters to schools, colleges and universities around the country warning them that failing to adequately address ethnic, sexual or gender-based harassment could put them in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. This article was written by ANDREW DALTON, Associated Press Writer.

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]]>bullyingAssociated PressWed, 27 Oct 2010 10:05:00 ESTOrganizing Tip: 10 Minutes and Donehttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/25/organizing-tip-10-minutes-and-done/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/25/organizing-tip-10-minutes-and-done/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/25/organizing-tip-10-minutes-and-done/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Once again, organizing guru Erica Ecker, also known as The Spacialist, has a solid tip for getting on top of the disorganized mess we call home.

"When it's time to put your things back into place, it's time to race the clock," she says. "Pull out your kitchen timer and set it for 10 minutes. Then go, go, go!"

Ecker says when her clients only have 10 minutes a day to resynchronize their systems and get everything squared away, they accomplish much, much more, than had they tried to get it all done without a set time.

And for the procrastinators out there, it's so much easier to start the (dreaded) act of straightening up when you know there's a clear-cut time to stop. When she first started doing this, she says, she was amazed at how much she herself could accomplish in 10 minutes.

Until next time, may your home be organized and hassle-free. Or at least 10 minutes neater.

Click here for more tips from The Spacialist.

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]]>the editors at ParentDishMon, 25 Oct 2010 11:10:00 ESTYour Kid Crazy? Don't Worry, It's a Big Clubhttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/your-kid-crazy-dont-worry-its-a-big-club/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/your-kid-crazy-dont-worry-its-a-big-club/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/14/your-kid-crazy-dont-worry-its-a-big-club/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

crazy child picture

Is moodiness in teens a medical condition? Credit: Getty Images

Teenagers are nuts.

Tell you something you don't know? Very well. Let's get clinical.

At least one in five adolescents in the United States has some kind of mental disorder that makes day-to-day life a pain in the butt for themselves, those around them or both.

That's not exactly how the National Institute of Mental Health put it. But that's the gist.

And if your kid has asthma or diabetes, watch out. Researchers for the institute claim in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry that those kids are more likely to have more intense emotional and behavior disorders.

But not to worry. Researchers say a high percentage of kids experience some kind of mental disorder in puberty in various shades and degrees.

Kathleen Ries Merikangas and her colleagues at the institute looked at psychological statistics from 10,123 teens ages 13 to 18 across the United States.

One of five teens suffered from disorders such as panic attacks and anxiety disorders (especially in social situations), as well as attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, depression and general moodiness.

Moody, depressed and hyperactive teens with short attention spans who don't handle themselves well in social situations? Sounds like a nasty case of puberty. Who knows were it will lead. Left untreated they could become ... [just like the rest of the human race.]

And ask anyone in the universe. That species is really crazy.

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]]>mental disordersMentalDisordersteen depressionTeenDepressionteens and depressionTeensAndDepressionTom HendersonThu, 14 Oct 2010 16:00:00 ESTCaution: New Teen Driver, Terrified Parenthttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/caution-new-teen-driver-terrified-parent/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/caution-new-teen-driver-terrified-parent/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/caution-new-teen-driver-terrified-parent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,




It's easy enough for the folks at AAA to say parents need to spend more time teaching teenagers how to drive.

Sure, let those people hurtle the wrong way down on a one-way street during 5 p.m. rush hour, sitting next to a panicky teenage driver who, let's face it, isn't exactly Albert Einstein even when he does know what the $#@! he's going.

It's scary!

Still, those scolding school marms at AAA say you better go to the store, buy yourself a spine and do your duty. As dangerous as jittery juveniles can be when you're teaching them to drive, imagine what they're like without you there to scream "Ohmigod!" and grab the wheel.

AAA points out that teenagers crash more cars than any group of drivers in the United States. In 2008, according to AAA, 1,368 new drivers between the ages of 15 and 18 died in car accidents.

Parents just don't spend enough time teaching teenagers how to drive, according to a study released by the AAA Foundation just this week.

How do researchers know this? They did a little snooping.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina's Highway Safety Research Center attached dashboard cameras to the cars of some 50 North Carolina families. They also interviewed parents 10 times during the year between kids getting their learner's permits and their actual licenses.

Kids don't get enough experience driving on different kinds of roads with different amounts of traffic and in different situations, researchers concluded. According to AAA stats, about a quarter of fatal crashes involving teens happen between 9 p.m. and midnight.

"A disappointing result was that only 20 percent of the time parents and teenagers were in the car at night, rain and heavy traffic. Eighty percent were found in benign or routine circumstances -- to and from school, to and from church," Peter Kissinger, president of the AAA Foundation, tells ABC News. "Parents need to give additional experience."

Beyond that, parents spend only a pitiful amount of time teaching their kids to drive at all.

Kissinger tells ABC his organization would like to see parents spend at least 100 hours teaching kids to drive. (The majority of states only require 50 hours.)

Almost 70 percent of parents in the study said busy schedules got in their way. No excuse, Kissinger tells ABC, noting that inexperience behind the wheel is the leading cause of most crashes involving teens.

"The best way to learn is to practice with an engaged parent," he says. "Everyone goes through a learning process."

About half of the parents in the study said they didn't feel comfortable being on the road in rain or heavy traffic with an inexperienced teen driver. However, they apparently don't mind other people doing it. Even without experience in bad weather or traffic, about 40 percent of the families still let their kids get licenses when they hit 16.

Talk about scary.

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]]>aaateen driversteen drivingteen driving safetyTeenDriversTeenDrivingTeenDrivingSafetyteens drivingTeensDrivingTom HendersonWed, 13 Oct 2010 17:30:00 ESTSemester Abroad Leads to More Brewskis and Vino for College Studentshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/drinking-in-college/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/drinking-in-college/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/13/drinking-in-college/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

drinking in college picture

Drinking in college increases when students study abroad. Credit: Getty Images

In the midst of gaining cross-cultural skills, learning a foreign language and garnering a global understanding, college students studying abroad are busy raising their beer steins and vino glasses -- at more than double the rate of their peers back home, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Hey, someone had to help with the research, and 177 students at the University of Washington volunteered to get drunk for the sake of science. The students shared their drinking habits before their international adventures, during their treks and back home (an average of three to five years), according to the newspaper. The findings were published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

The researchers at the University Of Washington Department Of Psychology found, overall, that student drinking more than doubled while abroad, but returned to pre-travel levels when the students came back home. However, the heaviest drinkers drank more when they got back.

Location also was a contributing factor, with international collegiate adventurers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand leading the drinking pack, according to the Times. Additionally, students in Latin America drank significantly more when they returned, compared to pre-trip levels.

Younger students -- those under 21 -- drank less than their older peers before traveling, but once in Europe, they started hitting the brewskis about 170 percent more than their pre-travel days, the Times reports. These younger college students also drank more when they returned, compared with before their trip abroad, where the legal drinking age is below 21.

"The study abroad experience presents both unique opportunities and unique risks for students," study co-author Mary Larimer, director of the Center for the Study of Health & Risk Behaviors, says in a news release. "Working with these students pre-departure is a terrific opportunity to help reduce their risks for drinking consequences while abroad, and may also help prevent difficulties when they return home."

UW graduate student and researcher Eric Pedersen tells the Huffington Post he would expect to get similar results at other universities.

"I don't think this is just a UW problem," says the psychology student, who notes, however, that his study sample included more women than the national average for studying abroad and the students he looked at were more diverse ethnically than the national average.

He tells the Huffington Post his research did not pinpoint why students drink more while they study abroad, but the results don't necessarily indicate binge drinking. Pedersen says a drink or so each night with dinner could add up to the 10 drinks a week European visitors reported on average.

"In general, drinking is an issue on college campuses, " Pedersen tells the website. "When you take that and put it in a foreign country, there's potential for more consequences.

He notes, however, that most students who study overseas, including those who drink, do not get in trouble while they're abroad.

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]]>alcoholcollege and alcoholcollege drinkingCollegeAndAlcoholCollegeDrinkingstudy abraodStudyAbraodMary Beth SammonsWed, 13 Oct 2010 13:30:00 ESTOpinion: Bullying Stops With Parentshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/bullying-stops-with-parents/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/bullying-stops-with-parents/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/08/bullying-stops-with-parents/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tyler Clementi, 18, a first year student at Rutgers University in New Jersey, killed himself shortly after being spied on and having footage of himself streamed online. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Last week we mourned over several teenage suicides: Kids ages 13 to 18 from New Jersey, Texas, California, Indiana and Minnesota who were bullied because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. These tragedies occurred in red and blue states, major cities and rural communities, and probably much closer to home than any of us want to consider.

And these were only the ones we read about.

Here are some horrifying statistics. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24, and fourth for children ages 10 to 14. A 2008 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that one-third of high-school students had seriously considered suicide, created a plan or actually tried to take their own life in the 12 months preceding the survey. Furthermore, boys have a higher rate of suicides, yet girls are also more prone to report their own attempts. And gay kids, according to other surveys, are at least twice as likely to make suicide attempts.

These are our sons and daughters -- tweens and teens grappling with who they are in the romantic world, so many of whom are bullied at school for being different, so many of whom remain silent about their struggles and pain.

This needs to stop. Both the bullying and the silent shame. Every one of us has the capacity to be the catalyst to end this misery. Take personal responsibility by reaching out to the children around you and making sure they are all safe, no matter who they are.

Start with your own dinner table and ask your child, "Who's being bullied at school?" Statistics dictate that teenage suicide will touch us all at some point, but those numbers don't have to stay that way.Talk to your kids and figure out where the bullying is going on, then use the resources below to empower yourself to make a difference.

Teach your child to believe in himself as well as standing up for those around him. And if your child is the bully, end that behavior immediately. Parents, check your own bullying tendencies as well. Answer this question honestly: What am I doing that's contributing to this situation? Chances are, there's something you can change in your own behavior and attitudes that will have a major impact on your kids and the world around them.

Don't wait until another child suicide story hits the front page before making this a priority in your family ... because that could be one day too late.

GLSEN: The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network offers a comprehensive list of anti-bullying resources.

PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is a family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. They offer parents 10 ways to make our schools safer and ways to report bullying in schools.

The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project focuses on crisis intervention and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. The confidential hotline is 866-488-7386. Check out their section on suicidal signs and facts and advice on how to help someone who is suicidal.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

Eddie Mercado is senior manager at AOL and works closely with the ParentDish team.

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]]>bully victimsbullyingBullyVictimsSuicidesuicide helpsuicide preventionSuicideHelpSuicidePreventionteenage suicideTeenageSuicideEddie MercadoFri, 08 Oct 2010 17:23:00 ESTCondom Sense: Trojan Ranks 13 Most Sexually Healthy Collegeshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/07/condom-sense-trojan-ranks-13-most-sexually-healthy-colleges/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/07/condom-sense-trojan-ranks-13-most-sexually-healthy-colleges/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/07/condom-sense-trojan-ranks-13-most-sexually-healthy-colleges/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

trojan condom picture

Columbia University had the highest "sexual GPA." Credit: Getty Images

Crazy parties, wild behavior, one-night stands, unprotected sex: This is the stuff that causes parents to wake in a cold sweat when they think of their sons or daughters on campus.

Well, here's some good news: A growing number of campus health and wellness offices, along with sex experts, want to help ease your nightmares and are taking steps to make sexual health a priority at their schools. And guess who's helping them help your kids stay STD free?

Trojan. The condom giant just released its fifth annual Sexual Health Report Card, which looked at 141 colleges and ranked them according to the quality and accessibility of their sexual health resources. The report zeroes in on 12 categories ranging from contraceptive availability and STD testing to sexual assault programs, according to a news release. Each school was given a "GPA" based on its average in the areas, with 4.0, naturally, being the highest possible rating.

Columbia University in New York City topped the honor roll with a 3.70, distinguishing itself with Go Ask Alice, a comprehensive website that allows students to submit questions anonymously. Current topics span the health scope: "Keeping the flow with a condom," "Numbing lube safety for anal sex" and "Quick and healthy bag lunches."

Michigan State was ranked second with a 3.61, followed by Ohio State University. Also making the honor roll: University of Michigan, 3.55; Brown University, 3.50; University of Iowa, 3.49; University of Oregon, 3.44; Princeton University, 3.41; Rutgers, 3,38; University of Minnesota, 3.37; Western Michigan University, 3.28; Cornell, 3.22; and Yale, 3.17.

The idea is that by making students aware of their school's sex health status, it will instigate change, Trojan representative Bruce Tetreault, says in the release. The company decided to launch the study years ago in response to the rising rate of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people, he adds.

According to the latest Center for Disease Control and Prevention report in 2008, STDs are a growing public health challenge in the United States. The CDC estimates there are approximately 19 million new STD infections each year -- almost half of them among young people ages 15 to 24. The cost of STDs to the U.S. health care system is estimated to be as much as $15.9 billion annually.

"We found the numbers unacceptable, and wanted to make students aware of how their schools ranked in terms of sexual health," Tetreault says in the release.

Bert Sperling, owner of the research firm that partnered with Trojan to administer the survey, says all schools have shown improvement in the past five years, and that students at Arizona State and Northwestern University, among others, have taken action in an effort to up their schools' rankings.

Although the ratings only cover a small portion of the approximately 2,000 4-year institutions in the United States, Sperling says 30 percent of American undergraduates attend the colleges studied.

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]]>college sexCollegeSexsexSexual healthSexualHealthSTDteen sexTeenSexMary Beth SammonsThu, 07 Oct 2010 13:00:00 ESTKnocked Out: Challenge Inspires College Kids to Get Some ZZZZshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/knocked-out-challenge-inspires-college-kids-to-get-some-zzzzs/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/knocked-out-challenge-inspires-college-kids-to-get-some-zzzzs/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/06/knocked-out-challenge-inspires-college-kids-to-get-some-zzzzs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The Huffington Post is challenging college students to get eight hours of sleep (a night). Credit: Corbis

Sleep? Please. Who needs it? Isn't that what Red Bull is for?

It's a one-way conversation all too familiar for parents of college students. "Sleep is just sooooooo overrated Mom," is the mantra of this nocturnal set.

But now, the Huffington Post has created a challenge to incoming college freshman designed to get them to cut out all-nighters and cut back on the multiple caffeinated beverages that keep their eyelids open all day.

Please, contest gods, tell us your secret. The Freshman 8 is a spin-off of the old freshman 15 motif, and focuses instead on the health benefits of a good eight hours of sleep, Dr. Michael J. Breus, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and member of the American Board of Sleep Medicine who is overseeing the contest, tells the website.

Weight gain is not uncommon, Breus tells the Huffington Post, but neither is a full night's sleep. He cites a 2001 study by the American College Health Association that shows only 11 percent of college students consistently sleep well. Adequate sleep, he says, can lead to higher grades, heightened performance and better health.

So the Huffington Post tracked the progress of students who entered the contest on Facebook and have come up with six well-rested finalists who are in the running to win a trip to New York City during the site's Oct. 28 Game Changers Event.

Leah Finnegan, a college correspondent for the site and editor of the Daily Texan at the University of Texas-Austin, says all-nighters aren't worth it on her Huffington Post blog.

"You see, just a short month ago, I would have awoken bleary-eyed and confused after an unsatisfying five hours of sleep," she writes. "Throughout the day I would have had multiple caffeinated beverages. All day I would think about sleeping, only to stumble home at 8 p.m. and find myself wide awake, neurons somehow pulsing on the dregs of coffee in my veins. Sleep would come six sad hours later. And then the whole thing would begin again. It's really no way to live, and it's a cycle that started for me in college, when varied wake-up times, free-flowing legal stimulants and midday naps were new and interesting."

It's tough to rack up the ZZZs in the student lounge or when your roommate is throwing a bash. Breus suggests students get earplugs, an eye mask and a good set of headphones.

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]]>college students and sleepCollegeStudentsAndSleephuffington postHuffingtonPostsleepsleep deprivationSleepDeprivationMary Beth SammonsWed, 06 Oct 2010 13:30:00 ESTTeachers to Students: Let's Not Be Facebook Friendshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/teachers-to-students-lets-not-be-facebook-friends/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/teachers-to-students-lets-not-be-facebook-friends/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/teachers-to-students-lets-not-be-facebook-friends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Maybe teachers should keep their relationships with kids offline. Credit: The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld/AP

Let's face it, there's a certain creep factor when you think your teenage daughter is exchanging photos, news feeds and friend requests on Facebook with her male high school science teacher.

We've heard the social network horror stories, but parents may feel comforted by a move to put Facebook on the don't list for parent-teacher relationships, ABC News reports.

As Facebook, Twitter and others have grown in popularity, more and more U.S. teachers have reportedly been disciplined -- and even fired -- for sharing photos and messages deemed inappropriate by their school systems, according to ABC. Other schools are busily drawing up conservative social media policies outlining what teachers can and can't show off on their Facebook pages with students, despite cries from some educators who argue this infringes on teachers' speech rights.

While teachers can use some networking sites such as Twitter or intranets to extend classroom discussion and post homework assignments, sites such as Facebook and MySpace -- which delve deeper into personal lives and information --easily blur the student-teacher relationship, Rabbi Avi Schwartz, an educator at Magen David Yeshiva in Brooklyn, N.Y., tells Education.com.

"There needs to be a certain distance between teachers and students in order to maintain respect," Schwartz says. "A teacher needs to be a role model, mentor and advice giver -- not a 'friend.' "

Heather Steed, a recent graduate of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., tells Education.com that, as a student, she never added instructors on a social network until she completed their classes.

"I think that students and teachers have different personas in the classroom than outside of it, and the two should not necessarily be mixed," she tells the site.

In August, a Massachusetts teacher was asked to resign after posting comments on her Facebook wall describing students as "germ bags" and parents as "snobby" and "arrogant," according to ABC. Although the teacher said she intended the comments for her close friends only, her privacy settings were open enough that others in her town could see what she had to say.

Scenarios like this have pushed school administrators across the country to create strict social networking policies. School administrators in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for instance, are considering a similar proposal that would ban teachers from "friending" or "following" students on social media sites and limit online communication to school-related correspondence only, ABC reports.

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]]>facebookfacebook and teachersFacebookAndTeacherssocial mediasocial networkingSocialMediaSocialNetworkingteacher firedTeacherFiredMary Beth SammonsTue, 05 Oct 2010 17:53:00 ESTTop 10 Most Beautiful College Campuseshttp://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/top-10-most-beautiful-college-campuses/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/top-10-most-beautiful-college-campuses/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/top-10-most-beautiful-college-campuses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Oxford University is no. 2 on the list. Credit: Corbis

Hey, parents -- as your high schoolers start sending in their college applications, it's time to think about academics, athletics and, in our opinion, aesthetics. After all, don't you want to spend Parents' Weekend strolling beautifully manicured quads and admiring striking Gothic architecture?

With its stone walls that date to the 11th century, Oxford University in England is spectacularly beautiful, while Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, located on the former site of the Qing Dynasty's royal gardens, provides students with a breathtaking walk between classes.

But the most beautiful campus in the entire world is in the United States. Ohio to be exact. Kenyon College in Gambier was named the No. 1 most beautiful campus by a panel of architects and campus designers interviewed by Forbes magazine.

The top 10 most beautiful college campuses in the world:

1. Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio
The pastoral setting of this tiny liberal arts college boasts sweeping trees, vast expanses of green and classic Gothic architecture. Most beautiful of all is The Middle Path, a 10-foot-wide trail that is not only the campus' central walkway, but also a village green.

2. Oxford University in Oxford, England
A labyrinth of quads, cloisters and archways evoke a centuries-old sense of elegance and tradition. The 11th-century stone walls enclose the spectacular campus that Notre Dame architecture professor David Mayernik calls "an architectural wonderland."

3. Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey
The imposing old gray stone buildings, many of which are covered in ivy, intersect with footpaths, archways and plazas that were designed to inspire spontaneous discussion and learning.

4. Scripps College in Claremont, California
The campus of this women's college, which was founded in the 1920s, was constructed with a clear artistic connection between the buildings and landscape. The Mission Revival-inspired architecture is enhanced with rows of liquid amber trees, as well as tulip trees, sycamores, almond and orange trees and rare shrubs.

5. Stanford University in Palo Alto, California
Despite extensive growth, Stanford has stayed true to its architectural roots, managing to blend very modern and high-tech elements with the timeless aesthetics of the campus' early California Mission Revival architecture. Most notable is the dramatic entrance via Palm Drive.

6. Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland
Trinity is often compared to Oxford--except it's a gentler campus on a more human scale. The most celebrated building is the Old Library, founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1592. The famous Book of Kells is kept here under lock and key.

7. Tsinghua University in Beijing, China
Founded in 1925, Tsinghua's beauty comes naturally. It is located on the former site of the Qing Dynasty's royal gardens. The campus also features artificial ponds with stone benches and floating lotus blossoms.

8. United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Leave the Gothic look to Kenyon and Princeton. The Air Force Academy is a masterpiece of American Modernism, says Kevin Lippert, publisher of the Princeton Architectural Press. Many of the buildings are clad in aluminum to give the look and feel of the skin of airplanes.

9. University of Bologna in Bologna, Italy
This is the oldest university in the Western world and appears to be embedded in Bologna, a beautiful city that dates to before the Roman Empire.

10. University of California, Santa Cruz, California
Located on the site of a former ranch that overlooks the Pacific with panoramic ocean views, the campus has open meadows and redwood forests. The architecture is tucked into the natural landscape. The favorite place to study? Outside!

(Source: Forbes magazine)

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]]>Kenyon CollegeKenyonCollegeoxford universityOxfordUniversitythe editors at NetscapeTue, 05 Oct 2010 16:41:00 ESTAre Tweens Really Ready to Babysit?http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/tweens-babysit/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/tweens-babysit/http://www.parentdish.com/2010/10/05/tweens-babysit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

tween babysitting picture

Even if they have training, are tweens really ready to watch your baby? Credit: Getty Images

Thrilled that your neighbor's kid is finally old enough to babysit? Sorry to throw a monkey wrench into date night, but your tween babysitter actually may be putting your little one at risk.

Forty percent of younger babysitters report they had left children unattended while babysitting, and 20 percent say they opened the door to strangers, according to research presented this weekend at the American Academy of Pediatrics conference.

The good news? Nearly all (98 percent) of 11- to 13-year-old babysitters know who to contact in the event of an intruder or if a child is sick or injured (96 percent), and the vast majority know who to contact if a child is poisoned (85 percent).

Researchers surveyed 727 tweens who have cared for a younger infant or child as a babysitter, reporting their results in the study, "Babysitter Safety Training: Are Children Aged 11-13 Years Prepared to Deal with Emergencies While Caring for Younger Children?"

About half of the tweens interviewed had gone through some professional training: 51 percent had taken a first aid training class; 47 percent had taken a CPR class and 19 percent had taken the American Red Cross or other babysitter preparedness class, the researchers report.

In other findings, 92 percent of preteen babysitters were familiar with the location of first aid supplies and 64 percent knew where to find a fire extinguisher. Ten percent of the young babysitters reported having a personal experience with an emergency requiring a call to 911; 10 called 911 after a child sustained injuries from a significant fall, eight due to a house fire, six because a child had profuse bleeding from a laceration and six because of a significant head trauma.

The study provides a snapshot of preteen babysitter strengths and weaknesses, lead study author Dr. Nicole M. Hackman, of Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital, reported at the conference.

"By identifying the unsafe behaviors, we have the opportunity to design specific educational programs to prepare preteen babysitters to safely respond to common emergency situations," she says.

For more information on babysitting preparedness, visit the American Red Cross website.

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]]>babysitterbabysittingresearchtween babysittersTweenBabysittersHoney BerkTue, 05 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST