Welcome to the Parents’ Lounge
... a place for parents and caregivers to get information and support
(Not just Mom and Dad, but all of you Aunts and Grandmas who are raising kids too!)
At Youth Services, we know that raising kids who are healthy and well-adjusted is the toughest job on earth. That’s why we try to do as much as we can to support parents and caregivers just like you who are facing the everyday challenges of family life.
For starters, each month in the Parents’ Lounge, we will highlight a common parenting concern or a trend in youth culture that we want you to be aware of. You’ll find this information in “Pointers for Parents”. Because March is National Talk to Your Teen About Sex Month, our first Pointer for Parents topic will be just that.
You can also get parenting information through our lending library which includes some of the newest and most popular books on parenting. For example ... say you are looking for some help navigating the rocky terrain of dealing with teens, if you stop by the office you will find:
Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence by Rosalind Wiseman
Not only do we have some great books, but we have free brochures and pamphlets on substance abuse, suicide, stress, eating disorders, and hundreds of other topics. You don’t even have to come in the office to get them! You can find them displayed outside our office, available to you whenever the Town Hall is open.
Finally, if you should find yourself in a family situation that seems unmanageable, please call us. We provide referrals to other public and private agencies to help with mental health issues, beyond control kids, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence, or any other issues your family may be facing.
This Month’s Pointers For Parents:
Teens Use Drugs to Cope with Stress
According to the 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS Teen) of more than 6500 teens, nearly three-quarters (73%) reported that stress is the main reason they see for drug use. In an accompanying survey of parents regarding drug use among teens, less than 10% of parents believed that teens “might use drugs to cope with stress”. Steve Pasierb, CEO of the Partnership for a Drug Free America, points out that this disconnect represents an opportunity for parents to gain a better understanding of what motivates teen drug use and to communicate healthy ways for their teens to cope with the stresses in their lives.
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