Transitioning Back to School
What Advice Do Teens Find Helpful?
Parents and other adults are full of words of wisdom for their children and other teens as each  new school year begins. But what advice seems to really stick with teens? We asked some teens to tell us, and here's what we heard.
Come Up With a Plan. "One of the best things my parents told me was to come up with a plan before school started for my schedule. I'm someone who's always super involved in everything, so time-management often caused a bit of a problem for me. They suggested that I start a schedule right away, so that I don't have to worry about trying to figure one out when I get stressed. It helped because it actually worked to calm me down when things got crazy."
~Deanna, age 19
Schoolwork Comes First, but Remember You are Still a Kid.
"My parents have really encouraged me to focus on my schoolwork this year. They have said schoolwork must come first and all other activities second. With limited free time, I don't want to get caught up in poor decisions because this is my last year in high school and my friends and I really want to make the most of it before we go off to college next year! We are all so busy, but we usually try to get together on a Saturday night and watch movies and have sleepovers like we used to. My parents say study hard, get good grades, but try not to stress because you are only a kid once."~Julie, age 17
Adult input is heard and valued so don't stop giving it! For tips on ways to discuss specific issues or for strategies to help keep your teen safe during the school year, visit parentteenmatters.org.
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Under YOUR Influence
Teen Driver Safety Toolkit and Resources Available to Parents
The beginning of the school year is an exciting and nerve-racking time for both teen drivers and their parents...back to school, new schedules and commitments, new responsibilities, and often exposure to new freedoms.
Under YOUR Influence, a program funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and administered by the National Organizations for Youth Safety, offers a comprehensive toolkit to help parents navigate many of the challenges surrounding teen driving and safety that accompany the start o f a new school year. To access these materials, please click here. |
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What Are They Saying?!?
Current Teen Slang
BFF: Best Friends Forever
Bounce: to leave
Dope: cool or awesome
My Bad: my mistake
Hater or H8er: someone who hates everything, is overly pessimistic
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Back-to-School Survey Reveals Disturbing Results
National Survey of Attitudes on Substance Abuse: Teens
As schools across the country opened their doors to another school year, disturbing results emerged from a study conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. According to the survey administered to high school students throughout the country, 86 percent of students say that some classmates are sm oking, drinking, and using drugs during the school day, with 52 percent indicating that there is a place near or on school grounds where students go to get high during the school day.
As always, adult involvement and awareness are key elements for helping to ensure a safe school year. Connecting regularly with your child about his/her school day, communicating frequently with teachers and other adults about his/her progress are all proactive measures that adults can take. In addition, see below for information on CASA's current initiative, Family Day.
Teens can also work to reduce substance abuse by involving themselves in school-based efforts and clubs. To learn more about beginning a SADD chapter at your local school, visit sadd.org.
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Family Day: September 24th
A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children
Join families across the country on September 24th as they sit down to dinner...together. Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children was established in 2001 by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University with the express purpose of reminding parents that having frequent family dinners is an effective tool in keeping children substance-free. To learn more about this initiative and to start planning your dinner on the 24th, click here.
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What Would You Like From Us?
Help Make PTM Work For You
ParentTeenMatters.org is designed to offer tips, resources, and guidance to those who care about teens. Are  there topics you'd like us to cover? Questions you'd like to have answered directly by teens? Let us know and we will make it happen! Contact us at info@parentteenmatters.org today! |
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