Bridging the gap between research and real life
There is clear evidence that risky sexual behavior harms young people. More than two million people ages 15 to 24 across the globe contract HIV each year, including more than 17,000 American young people. Four million U.S. teens experience a sexually-transmitted infection each year. And between 750,000 and 900,000 teenage women in the U.S. become pregnant each year. [Read more…]
The evidence is crystal clear: Physical activity is great for kids. Researchers around the world agree that youth who are active have better brain function, higher self-esteem, more motivation and better school performance. [Read more…]
Kids across the nation are back to school — and that means also back to completing math worksheets, memorizing spelling words and writing book reports. In fact, there is solid evidence that schools are requiring more formal academic work at younger ages. [Read more…]
As a first-time parent, I was completely surprised one day when I was nearly overcome by the urge to spank my two-year-old. After a challenging hour or two at a crowded shopping mall, he purposely pulled a pile of t-shirts off a shelf at a clothing store in a tantrum. Really, I should have known better than to take a tired toddler shopping for clothes. But that was cold comfort as I stood in the middle of a crowded store watching my son throw merchandise on the floor. [Read more…]
On the whole, public schools in the U.S. are doing a poor job of teaching sex education to American youth.
A report released last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that fewer than half of high schools and only a fifth of middle schools teach all 16 topics the CDC lists as essential components of sex education. Those topics include how to obtain and use condoms, the benefits of condom use, and the kinds of preventative care necessary to maintain sexual health. [Read more…]
Kids these days.
It’s a phrase that has been uttered for decades by older generations as youth forge their way through the modern world. Today, the phrase often refers to youth’s use of social networking sites. There’s plenty of times I’ve heard older adults argue that relationships forged through platforms like Instagram and Google chat don’t qualify as “real” social connections. [Read more…]
It’s the season when parents of incoming kindergartners register their children for school. For many parents, myself included, deciding which year children should start formal schooling is difficult. [Read more…]
New findings about screen-time for babies and kids are something I keep a close eye on. As parent of three young children, I want to do what’s best for them. And yet I’m often tempted to use the television – “just one show” – when I need to get something done. [Read more…]
At one time or another, we have all heard someone say, “Kids these days…” in the lofty tone that suggests children from generations past were better behaved, more responsible and less troubled than today’s youth. Maybe you’ve even said something similar yourself; I know that I have. [Read more…]
My middle child is four years old, and will be starting kindergarten in the fall. While that may seem like a long time away, I know from experiencing this transition once before that it helps to start thinking about it early. [Read more…]
Being different than other people — whether it means your race, gender, or sexual orientation — is often a source of stress in our society today. People of minority sexual orientations often feel that stress most acutely, according to the evidence. [Read more…]
If you’ve ever parented a child who gets frequent ear infections, you know that this is the time of year to brace yourself. It starts with a runny nose. And before you know it, there’s a fever and ear pain. [Read more…]
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