Parents
Dr. Wolf: Back to school means back to the future for teens
Originally posted in The Globe and Mail
As a carefree summer comes to an end, teens need reassurance as they return to the pressures of school
How I Spent my Summer Vacation, by Jason Lovesey:
I had a really cool summer. What I liked best was that I stayed up every night until 3:30 and never – not once – got up before noon. What did I do that late, you might ask. I went on Facebook. I talked to my friends. I watched videos.
What else did I do with my time? I drove around with my friends a lot. We partied. I won’t lie to you, I used substances that I’m not supposed to. I did stuff with Reyna – you know what I mean – until we broke up. But we weren’t officially going together anyway. And I played video games a lot. I mean a lot. I tried to get a summer job, but you know how the economy is and all. So I mean it wasn’t my fault that I had so much uninterrupted fun time.
Going back to school can be a shock. For most students, the shift from carefree summer to school brings a number of unwelcome changes. Teens may differ in how they appear to greet the new school year. They may be unhappy:
EMF and The Century Council
Today, The Century Council met with George Washington University's school, police, and hospital staff as well as the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF).
According to Mary Pat McKay, MD, Director of the Center for Injury Prevention and Control at GW, there are 600,000 visits to the emergency room per year for drinking-related situations.
GWU and its community make a concerted effort to stop binge drinking on their campus by joining forces with their local police force, hospital staff, university staff, and even the students and their parents. A common goal between all of the GWU community was simple: education for parents and students alike. Education to prevent binge drinking as well as intervention education if a student has been to the hospital for a drinking-related incident are key to stopping binge drinking.
Thank you to EMF and GWU for having us today!
Back to school!
It’s time to head back to school! Today, kids in the Washington DC area are trudging back to school. A whole bunch of kids have already headed back, while millions more will do so soon.
There are many ways to get your kid ready – school supplies, clothes, perhaps a lunchbox. Telling your kid to study hard, and the importance of education – you can’t forget that.
But another important way to get your kid ready is to talk about alcohol. Transition periods- such as new environments, new people, and new circumstances – are times where kids are very vulnerable to trying alcohol.
Since a new school year is often such a transition, you should make sure to talk to your teen about the dangers of alcohol (PDF), ways to say no to alcohol, and ways to stay busy and active. Help make sure that your kid’s school year will be an opportunity for growth and learning.
Can texting be addictive?
Originally posted in The Globe and Mail
Dear Dr. Wolf,
Is it possible to be addicted to texting? Our 14-year-old daughter has become so attached to her phone, we are beginning to worry about her. Although her marks are still excellent, she shows little interest in things she used to enjoy, such as reading and spending family time with us and her brother. Texting her friends has become the most important thing in her life, and she is sometimes in contact with as many as eight or 10 friends at once. We have imposed a daily three-hour no-texting window, but when the phone is off for those three hours, she seems antsy, fidgety and unable to focus on anything, which increases our concern. Do you have any advice for us?
Concerned Parent
A sample of typical teen messaging:
Kelsey texting her good friend Anyssa: “Did you notice how Lauren was ignoring Laura today at lunch?”
“You noticed too?”
“Yes. What’s going on between them?”
Simultaneously, Kelsey texting Logan (a boy who is a friend): “You were so rude to Kimmie today.”
“What did I do?”
Simultaneously, Kelsey receiving a text from Angela: “Tell me what you really think about my haircut.”
“I really like it.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not. It’s really cute.”
Why do they text all the time? It is being connected to what’s going on. It is being connected to the world of people you care about. It is a world that is not static – it constantly moves along, ever changing – and is of intense interest, especially if there is anything that pertains to you.
Your teen home alone: not the horror show you might fear
Originally posted in The Globe and Mail
If you don’t leave alcohol, money or prescription drugs lying around, chances are the worst they’ll get up to is sleeping and playing video games all day
“Oh boy. Oh boy. Oh boy. Home alone. This is so cool. Now I get to do anything I want and there’s nobody here to stop me or even know that I’m doing it. Am I going to have a good time.”
“Yes, that is exactly what I worry about. Now that it’s summer, and he has no school; and I have to work and he hasn’t been able to get a job, he’s going to be home alone for these big chunks of time with zero supervision. It would be great if I could afford to get him into a good summer program. But I can’t. It’s my nightmare. All the trouble he’s going to get into at the house.”
Oh boy.
In a world where most parents work, and have little ability to dictate their hours, summer with young teenagers presents a problem. Can they, if necessary, be left for hours with no adult at home?
10 ways to make your family vacation a pleasant one
Originally published in The Globe and Mail
1. If they have a good time, that’s great. But don’t spend too much effort trying to make them have a good time. Don’t be too disappointed if the vacation does not work out for them. You can’t force someone to enjoy themselves. Also, teens often get a lot more out of a vacation than you think. You just don’t get to see it: “Like I’m going to say, ‘Oh. Wow. This is great.’ to my parents. I don’t think so.”
2. Electronic devices are good. During the year, you may cut back and limit their use, but on family vacations – especially for long car trips – they’re a blessing. You’ll definitely get less of this: “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do.” There’s always something to do when you have the electronic world at your finger tips.