Being a parent is the most important thing you'll ever do! These middle/high school years will pass quickly and will not be without challenges. But you can do this, and there is no need to do it alone. At Operation Parent, we’re parents too. We have personally dealt with the issues we highlight. We believe that having hard conversations with your kids can help them avoid/recognize potentially harmful choices.
Being a teenager is no joke. It can be a daily battle. A hard and confusing one too.
I remember trying to keep up with trends, ever-changing groups of friends, acne (I still have it, haha), and
the weight of expectations from my peers and family...
Tiktok is a social network for sharing user-generated videos. With over 2.6 billion downloads, Tiktok is the hottest social media site for tweens and teens. Most videos feature music and sound effects (which may in themselves be filled with explicit language and sexual content). Users can create videos very easily and post them immediately. Settings let users share videos with friends or with the general public. Most users scroll through video feeds curated for them known as a “for you” page. Videos can range from popular (viral) dances, lip syncing, and makeup tutorials to someone live-streaming whatever they’re doing in the moment (however inappropriate it may be). Although this app can be used for fun group dances, it doesn’t take long to find something troublesome. Many have come across harmful messaging on mental health, and predatory behavior from strangers to children. Since the minimally provided parental controls are easily worked around, we strongly encourage caution and due diligence before allowing your teen to have this app.
One of the most popular video games for adolescent gamers is Fortnite: Battle Royale. In this game, players try to out-survive other players in an ever-shrinking deadly map. Gameplay includes gathering resources/materials, building structures to take shelter from other players, and using firearms, melee weapons, and explosives to kill other players. The visuals in this game have a cartoon-like style and the violence in this game is not bloody or gory, but very frequent (remember the goal is to kill off the other players). Before allowing your child to play this game, parents need to talk with their kids about video game violence. Although the game itself does not include inappropriate language, it’s important to remember that this is an online game. Your child could easily hear inappropriate language from other players, and read things unfit for them in the online chat feature. There are parental controls that can be set up to disable the text chat and voice chat features or limit those features to those accepted as “friends”. Parents also need to know that Battle Royale encourages in-game purchases that are pricey but provide a player with better outfits, armor, weapons, and features. Fortnite has a rating of T for “Teen” by the ESRB. For more information on setting up parental controls on gaming devices, visit esrb.org.
University of Louisville Baseball Coach, Dan McDonnell, explains the dangers of vaping and how to encourage our youth to stay away from using these e-cigarette devices. Dan describes why vaping is NOT a harmless/healthy alternative to traditional smoking!
Finally, an updated, easy-to-read, visually appealing, practical guide for parents raising teens and preteens. Raise your awareness on today’s toughest parenting issues.
Go to storeHelen Witty, a parent and victim of drunk and drugged driving, lost her precious daughter Helen Marie to a teenager who had been drinking tequila and smoking marijuana and driving. Helen will graciously remind us of the power we have as parents to help our teens make smart, healthy, and safer choices.
view webinarWatch to learn how the global pandemic has affected teen mental health, how you can tell normal problems from more significant mental health concerns, and numerous actionable steps and ideas you can use to support your child's mental health and wellbeing today!
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