In 2000, two angry parents got into a fight at their sons’ hockey game. This wasn’t just any fight, though. Thomas Junta got upset about some rough play on the ice. Fellow parent and referee Michael Costin responded brusquely. “That’s what hockey is all about,” he said. A serious fistfight ensued. In the end, Costin was dead. Junta beat him so hard, so repeatedly, that he actually ended up killing
Bullying is an unpleasant human behavior that everyone knows and understands. Most of us associate bullying with childhood and elementary school. But as we know, bullies don’t always go away after elementary school. Some keep it up in middle school and high school, and some persist with their bullying behavior well into adulthood. Fortunately, one thing we learn in middle school and high school is how to deal with bullies.
Over the past two decades, rates of ADHD diagnosis in children and adolescents have increased steadily. According to data released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2016, approximately 6.1 million children age 4-17 – 9.4% – received an ADHD diagnosis at some point during their lives. Of these children, 2.4 million age 6-11 received an ADHD diagnosis. These figures represent an increase of roughly 62% since 1997. Experts
We’ll open this article with an assertion we found in several blog posts and articles while researching this topic: Children who get bullied by their parents will bully other kids when they get a chance. Next, we’ll ask you a question: Do you agree with that statement? If you do, research supports your opinion. Studies show that parenting styles that resemble bullying, meaning they involve insults, mockery, and a lack
Parenting can be a rollercoaster ride. During the early years, kids talk your ear off from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed. This nonstop commentary and sharing typically happens through middle school. Then during the teen years, they shift their attention. They talk to their peers and often cut their parents out of the loop. We’re generalizing, of course: some teens keep talking to
Sometimes, the signs are clearly visible—people can read you like a book. Other times, no one can even guess what you’re struggling with inside. This dichotomy was the inspiration behind Colorado’s new statewide mental health campaign, “Below the Surface.” This attention-grabbing awareness campaign stemmed from a wave of student suicides in high schools around Colorado Springs, which kept happening one right after another. In just one high school, in the
For adolescents juggling school, homework, extracurricular activities, social commitments, SAT/ACTs, and maybe even college applications, the day may never seem long enough. Phew…just writing out that list made us need to take a breath! Teens these days are as busy as ever. Is it Good to be Busy? Many feel that it’s good to be busy. “I don’t want my kids just sitting at home on their laptop or phone
The age for legal purchase and consumption of alcohol in the U.S. is 21 years old – but everyone in the U.S. knows that a large majority of people start drinking – or try alcohol for the first time – during their teenage years. Underage drinking in the adolescent population is a problem for many reasons. First, studies show that the earlier a teen begins drinking, the more likely they
We’re close to twenty years into the 21st century. It’s a safe bet to say that almost anyone reading this blog has heard of mindfulness. And that’s not surprising, because although it’s still considered a complementary or alternative therapy in the medical and mental health communities, and many members of the general public still think of mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation as new age novelties, the fact is that
So. Your teen needs professional treatment for certain mental health issues. At an adolescent rehab center. You’re fine with them going, except for one major issue: You don’t want them to fall behind in school. We get you. Education is important. Leaving school for weeks at a time can make your teen fall behind in his schoolwork, which can ultimately affect his academic year. Perhaps, if he’s already a senior
