Whether it be for two hours or an entire day, millions of tweens – children ages 11 to 13 – will be left home alone this summer, despite their parents’ concerns that they may not have the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe at home.
According to a report released today by the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, many parents worry that their at-home tweens do not know how to safely use kitchen appliances, where to go to stay safe during a severe storm, or that they should not give out personal information online or over the phone. Yet, one in five parents polled say that they have left tweens home alone for an entire day. [continue reading…]
Tips on spotting the warning signs of cyberbullying and how to help your child deal with the issue, from Mary Muscari, associate professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and author of
Not My Kid: 21 Steps for Raising a Nonviolent Child and Let Kids be Kids:Rescuing Childhood. Cyberbullying, the sending or posting of harmful or cruel text or images, using the Internet or other digital communicationdevices, affects almost half of today’s teens. Cyberbullying messagesand images may be posted on personal, web sites or blogs, ortransmitted via email, discussion groups,  chat, Instant Messenger (IM),text and smart phones.
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Prom time means lots of teenagers driving late and with other teens in the car – a combination that dramatically raises the risk of teen driver traffic accidents. Professor and teen driving expert Kenneth Beck, University of Maryland, College Park, School of Public Health, can offer advice for parents of teen drivers, especially the newest drivers. He can also discuss the topic and take calls on radio or TV broadcast. [continue reading…]
Published: March 27, 2008
Belief that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me,” has gone by the wayside in the 21st century. With the advent of text messaging, online chat groups and social media sites such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, adolescent pranks can be elevated to hysteria and cruel remarks “blasted” to millions in mere seconds. Recently, a text message and MySpace bulletin warned California students that a shooting rampage would take place the next day on campus. The threat went “viral” as friends warned each other via text messages and email, resulting in two-thirds of the student body staying home from school the next day. Although the message was later determined to be a hoax, the fear and consequences were real. [continue reading…]
