Teens and Peer Pressure
 A recent WebMD article on the subject of teens and peer pressure points out that teens rarely strong-arm each other into trying risky things. "When we talk to young people, they tell us this vision of peer pressure is extremely rare," says Stephen Wallace, senior advisor for policy, research, and education of SADD. Instead, friends play a more subtle role in your child's decisions.
Teens often feel internal pressure to do the things that they think their peers are doing. "Most kids wildly overestimate the prevalence of alcohol and drug use," says Wallace, who wrote the book, Reality Gap: Alcohol, Drugs, and Sex -- What Parents Don't Know and Kids Aren't Telling.
Parents who want to dispel the myth that drugs and alcohol are an adolescent rite of passage can simply cite the facts. A long-term, national study of adolescents in grades 8, 10, and 12 shows that many typical teen behaviors are actually losing popularity.
- In 2010, 27% of students said they got drunk in the past year. This is down from almost 40% in 1997.
- Close to 31% of students reported having ever smoked a cigarette, compared to almost 54% in 1991.
The good news? You can have a more powerful positive effect on your teen than you may think.
Your rules and structure give your teen a framework for understanding the world, even if he protests. When Wallace asks teens what their parents could do to discourage drinking, the answers were surprisingly simple:
- Talk to us. Teens say they want to know what their parents think and how they make decisions.
- Punish us. Teens who break rules typically wait to see what happens. If there are no consequences, the rules don't matter.
- Limit overnight visits. Not having to go home can be too much freedom to handle.
- Wait up for us. Knowing they have to face mom or dad, or both, in a few hours makes most teens think twice about the shape they'll be in when they get home.
Read the rest of this article here.
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Action for Healthy KidsŪ:
An On-line Resource
Action for Healthy KidsŪ is
the  nation's leading
nonprofit and largest
volunteer network fighting childhood obesity and undernourishment. Their goal is to help schools become healthier places so our kids can learn to eat right, are active every day and ready to learn.
In the resource section of their website, there are fact sheets, research reports, newsletters and a number of free downloadable tools. You can search as a parent, educator, administrator or student. You can also search by state to learn more specifics on what actions and programs are being implemented in your state to address this area of concern. Remember, nearly 1 in 3 children are either obese or overweight. This is our future and it is important for all adults to learn more about helping our youth to become healthier individuals.
To learn more visit Action for Healthy Kids' website.
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Teens Texting While Driving
is Still a Problem
Teen drivers are becoming increasingly aware of the potential dangers of texting while driving, yet it's not curbing the behavior.  According to a 2011 teen driving study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD, more than half (53 percent) of the 2,294 high school students surveyed say they text while they drive at least sometimes, and 28 percent admit doing so often or very often.
Ironically, the study, which Liberty Mutual and SADD have regularly conducted since 2000, shows a steady increase in belief by teens that texting while driving is a significant distraction. In 2008, only 38 percent of teens reported texting while driving was very/extremely distracting. The following year, 48 percent of teens said that texting was the most distracting behavior while driving; a sentiment that then soared to 59 percent in 2011. The Liberty Mutual/SADD Teen Driving Study reports these key findings: - For some young drivers, text messaging occurs at alarmingly high levels. More than 40 percent of teens who text while driving send more than 10 messages from behind the wheel each day. Nearly one in ten teens text 50 or more messages daily while driving.
- Who are they texting? Teens are increasingly likely to text mom and dad: 63 percent in the 2011 study vs. 55 percent in 2009. Friends remain the most popular recipients of text messages, yet at a decreasing rate: 70 percent in 2011 vs. 80 percent in 2009.
- What are they texting? 59 percent of teens say they are texting their parents about where they are.
"While it's important for parents to know where their children are and what they are doing, they need to take a firm stance against texting while driving and other distracted driving behaviors," said Stephen Wallace, Senior Advisor for Policy, Research, and Education at SADD. "This research shows that despite awareness campaigns and laws against texting while driving, it's a common behavior among teens that parents inadvertently may be aiding." To read the rest of this news release,
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The FBI's Child ID App
Putting Safety in Your Hands
You're shopping at the mall with your children when one of them suddenly disappears. A quick search of the nearby area is unsuccessful. What do you do?
Now there's a free new tool from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that can help.
 The FBI has launched a free mobile application, the Child ID App, which provides a convenient place to
electronically store photos and vital information about children that can be easily
provided to authorities if a child goes missing. The app allows users to send information (e.g., pictures, height, and weight) to authorities with a few clicks.
It also provides tips on keeping children safe and guidance on what to do in the first few crucial hours after a child goes missing.
The Child ID App is currently available for use on iPhones and can be downloaded for
free from the App Store on iTunes. The FBI is planning to expand the tool to other types
of mobile devices in the near future.
For more information please visit the FBI website.
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