Overscheduling and Overburdening Our Kids

Twenty or thirty years ago, playing sports meant running around with the kids in the neighborhood and playing catch, shooting hoops or riding bikes. Usually the only restriction you had was getting home before the streetlights turned on. Today, having hours of free, unstructured playtime is a rare treat. Instead,…

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Perfect Body at All Costs

“My thighs are too fat. My abs aren’t ripped enough. My body is too hairy. My face has too many zits.” Comments like these are typical of kids who are going through puberty and worried about fitting in. Body dissatisfaction among America’s youth has become so widespread that researchers now…

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Communication and Conflict

Establishing a trusting, loving relationship between you and your child is the foundation of good communication and paves the way for problem solving. “You want to let kids know that they’re important and what they say is important by listening, by stopping what you’re doing and giving them your full…

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Living with Anorexia

When Jordan moved from the ski town of Telluride, Colo., to Phoenix, Ariz., she noticed everyone was decked out in skimpy shorts and tops, showing a lot of skin. “The actual climate change didn’t bother me as much as seeing all these skinny girls in tight tank tops and swimsuits,…

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Drugs Destroy High Schooler’s Life

Erinn Pushor remembers the beginning of 2007 as one of the most exciting times of her life. She began dating Danny Pasenella, a boy she had befriended and had a crush on since eighth grade. Their relationship began their sophomore year in high school. “He was the most charismatic, wonderful…

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