Source: Scary Mommy

None of us could have seen 2020’s changes coming, although I’m sure you were noticing the changes in your teen over the last year and doing the best you could to survive by trying to understand and adapt to their needs. In this article, I will be walking through the three stages of teen development (of course with a little humor) so you feel more equipped to navigate the ever-changing waters of the stage your teen is currently in and batten down the hatches for what’s to come next.

Source: Buzzfeed

Maybe things were hard before 2020, but now they seem IMPOSSIBLE with the two (or three, or four) of you sharing the same walls 24/7 and playing in your own version of Survivor. Yet in your version of Survivor, instead of competing for $10,000, you are competing for sanity, the remote, and for your daughter to stop “shopping” your closet and leaving her unwanted items (basically everything) all over the floor…

Source: Today Parenting Team

No one wants to play bad cop. And, of course, each of us remembers what it was like when our parents said ‘no’ when other’s parents said ‘yes’, but this time we are VERY scared! None of us want our kids to get sick, or hurt, or even endanger others by not socially distancing themselves.

So, how do we say it without our teens immediately firing back leading to an awful confrontation?

Source: Parenting Teens & Tweens

Recently, the role of technology in Gen Z was exposed in Netflix’s new documentary, ‘Social Animals.’ The show gave an inside look at the lives of three adolescents—a self-taught daredevil photographer capturing novel shots in New York City…

Source: Professor’s House

Sadie was tormented on Facebook and Instagram. Classmates would tell the 15-year-old to kill herself. Eventually, she did.

Source: Miranda Southern

I hope you will make the investment into parenting your child and read Teen Speak for yourself. Grab a highlighter and be ready to make notes!

Source: Family Education

Social media can have serious negative effects on your teen’s body image, mental health, and more. Dr. Jennifer Salerno, Nurse Practitioner and Founder of Possibilities for Change, weighs in with tips on how parents can help support a positive body image in teens in the age of social media.

Source: Dr. Laura

It’s a scene from many teen movies and sitcoms: mom or dad sit their teen down for an introduction to the birds and the bees.

Source: Hitched Mag

Most parents dread “the talk” about sex with their kids. Here’s why you shouldn’t and how you can still educate them.

Source: Wellness

It’s always a fine line—do I bring it up? Is this the hill to die on? When it comes to Juul use among teens, it’s love at first puff.

Source: Thrive Global

Here are some tips to get you started discussing the birds and the bees—and any other difficult topic—with your teen.

Source: Metro Detroit Mommy

There is a central, carefully chosen word in that headline. If you were to change “with” to “at,” it would change the outcome completely. Talking with your teen is a two-way conversation that involves listening as opposed to lecturing or talking at your teen.

Source: Children’s Health Foundation

In my last articles, I explored normal behaviors that occur during adolescent stages of development, and what to watch out for—drawing from chapters in my book, Teen Speak: A how-to guide for real talks with teens about sex, drugs and other risky behaviors.

Source: Ready, Set, Grow

Hearing that your teen is in love can be terrifying. As parents, we know the emotional and often physical commitment these words bring into a relationship, yet seeking out and experiencing love is a normal part of teen development. When your teens share their feelings with you, avoid having emotionally charged discussion. 

Source: Children’s Health Foundation

In this article, I hope to help you understand how physical and cognitive development influences emotional and sexual development.

Source: Ann Arbor Family

During my career working with adolescents as director of the University of Michigan’s school-based health center program, a surprisingly common theme among tweens was their intense levels of stress.

Source: Oakland County Moms

Raising a teen with open lines of communication is an ever-changing challenge requiring significant stamina. There are likely to be many setbacks, frustrations and obstacles before crossing the adulthood finish line.

Source: etr

How sexually active—and sexually risky—are today’s teens?

Scientific studies continue to support the notion that teens today actually have less sex than their parents did as teens. Yet nearly one in four teens will become pregnant by age 20, and half of the new STDs in the U.S. each year occur among people between the ages of 15 and 24. 

Source: Children’s Health Foundation

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that, I would be writing this on my own private island. As a healthcare provider and founder of Possibilities for Change—an organization dedicated to transforming teen health—my team and I have found that while most parents ask this question, many don’t know how to define normal .

Oakland County Moms

Communication Tips for Teen Attitudes – By Dr. Jennifer Salerno – Eye rolls, slammed doors, sarcasm, talking back—if you’re a parent of a teen I’m sure you can unfortunately relate.

Momming Hubb

“I’m pregnant.”
“Last night. What? I can’t remember.”
“I’m in the principal’s office and need you to come and get me.”
“I just had to send a quick text. The car hit me!”

Source: Today Parenting Team

If each verbal conversation with your teen was turned into a manuscript texting conversation it would go something like this?

Source: etr

Whether you’re a parent or an individual who works with youth, you are placed in an influential role to help keep teens safe and healthy. But that’s no easy task!

Source: Mom Unleashed

My son is a good kid.  He’s smart. Talented.  A strong athlete and student.  We’ve always had a great relationship and have always been super close.  But over the last few years, as he’s entered his teens, it feels like more of a wall has come between us.

Source: School-Based Health Alliance

Dr. Jennifer Salerno has learned a lot about connecting with teens through her clinical work as a nurse practitioner in school-based health centers (SBHCs). She’s created trainings and online content to help professionals talk to teens and help them make healthier decisions.