Teen Pregnancy: Risk Factors and Intervention

We like to think of our society as progressive and capable of solving our social ills one problem at a time, but the fact of the matter is that, among industrialized nations, the U.S. leads the way in teen pregnancy.  Currently, 4 out of every 10 girls in the U.S. will become pregnant by their 20th birthday.

What Causes Teen Pregnancy

Aside from the obvious answer of engaging in sex, the factors that contribute to a teen being at-risk for teenage pregnancy can become very complex.  Some of the risk factors include:
* Living in poverty.
* Being the child of a single parent, or being the child of teen parents.
* Being reared in an abusive environment.
* Involvement in drug and alcohol use and abuse.
* Having low self-esteem.
* Poor performance in school.
* Being in multiple foster care homes.
* Ongoing family conflict.
* Lack of parental supervision.

Approaches to Intervention

There have basically been three strategies for bringing down the numbers associated with teen pregnancy since they reached an all-time high in the ‘90’s:
* Abstinence-only educational programs.  The Institute of Medicine reports that of 13 studies done evaluating abstinence-only educational programs, none have had a positive......read more

The Collision Between the Teenager and Mid-Life Parents

There are many parents that are, at least, in their late 20’s or early 30’s when they begin having children.  And there is an ever-increasing societal trend to wait even later to start a family.  This puts parents square in the middle of life when their children become preteens and teenagers.  Although more studies are being done, it’s safe to say that part of the problem that parents have in dealing with their teens is, to some extent, exacerbated by their own battle with middle age.

During this period, adolescents are exploring a seemingly limitless future, while, simultaneously, parents in mid-life are feeling the constraints of life.  While your child is searching for freedom, you are busy bearing the brunt of parental, financial, and other responsibilities to the best of........read more

Natural Deodorant: A Better Alternative

Are you paying attention to what goes under your arms? Commercial deodorants contain many toxic chemicals, but there is an alternative. Go natural.

Making the switch to natural beauty and personal care products is probably one of the smartest things you can do for your health. Commercial antiperspirant deodorant, for example, contains some very toxic ingredients. The majority contain one or more of the following:

• Aluminum. A known neurotoxin, aluminum is what blocks the sweat and is contained in virtually all commercially available anti-perspirants. Unfortunately, aluminum is also one of the prime suspects in the ever-increasing rates of Alzheimer’s and

Read more at Suite101: Natural Deodorant: A Better Alternative | Suite101.com http://melissamurphy.suite101.com/natural-deodorant--a-better-alternative-a393435#ixzz1b2EGk31Q

Social Media: Understanding It and Finding Balance

There is really nothing all that new about social media sites if you consider that many of them were beginning to grow in popularity in the ’90s.  So why is the question of teens and social media a trending topic now?  The answer may be rooted in the fast advance of technology.

Social media has been around almost as long as the internet itself, but only with the implementation of technological devices and extensive and increased access to broadband internet connections has the ability to network on social media become the norm in homes, offices, and schools.  Now that technology is easier to understand, use, and access, social media is all the rage, especially among teenagers.

As it is with many other issues in society, there are two sides to the social media coin. True also is the fact that it is the limitless access to social media that produces the negative effects.  According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, children and teens are spending upwards of seven hours a day attached to and engaged in some sort of digital device. Over the last decade, there have been numerous studies to confirm that........read more

Helping Young Children Deal With Stress

Through the eyes of an adult, childhood can seem somewhat carefree and untroubled, but children do experience stress from time to time.  Just the processes involved in growing up can create stress on children.  Stress begins at an early age with social issues, school-related issues, and even family issues that can often be overwhelming to youngsters.  In addition, young children are more vulnerable because they don’t have the experience or coping skills necessary to dissuade the negative effects of stressful situations.  To make matters worse, young children don’t always make the first move to initiate conversations concerning problems they may be having, or issues that may arise, but studies show that children depend on their parents to be extending a helping hand and be involved in every situation.  As a parent, you probably won’t be able ...........read more

Defining the Strong-Willed Child

All children can display willful and defiant behavior on occasion, but with strong-willed children, challenging authority and exhibiting a propensity for stubbornness and persistent inflexibility is an everyday occurrence. As a parent, becoming aware of your child's strong-willed personality will help you understand that they are not necessarily acting out on purpose. In fact, strong-willed children are predisposed to being more self-determined, independent, and tenacious than other more compliant children.


What does it mean to be strong-willed?

A combination of nature and nurture, the strong-willed child has a set of characteristics that sets them apart from other children. Consider the following traits when determining if your little one is of the strong-willed persuasion:

• Persistence. Strong-willed children are goal-directed and it can be very difficult to give up on a project or get them to try something a different way. They have a tendency to have rigid mindsets. This can be advantageous in some respects, but is also a disadvantage in others.

• Inflexibility. All children perform better and are more stable when they have structure in their lives, but strong-willed children have a particular aversion to upset schedules and seem to be thrown off-course when things change.

• High mental or physical energy. Many strong-willed children exhibit extreme creativity and often their minds are running non-stop. This characteristic can be manifest in physical activities such as sport-related activities, dancing, or acting. Alternatively, many strong-willed children exert their energy in mental activities such as drawing, building, or using their imaginations to the extreme.

• Determination. While most children demonstrate determination at certain times, this defining trait is the hallmark of a strong-willed child. This display of unrelenting resolve is what can make a strong-willed child a world-changer. But it is also part of what makes them so difficult to parent.

Are you pushed to your limit? Do you wonder if other parents have as much trouble with their children? Do you sometimes consider that there may be something amiss with your child? Chances are you are dealing with the wonderful world of the willful child. Although there is not much you can do to change it, there is a lot you can do to channel it. Strong-willed children are the ones who mature into adults who have an extra dose of grit and tenacity to effectively make a positive mark on, not only their immediate surroundings, but the entire world.

Oxytocin: The Love Hormone and its Role in our Relationships

While several factors contribute to the intricacies of human relationships, there is one very important biochemical factor that must not be overlooked. Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone produced in the hypothalamus. Research done on this hormone suggests that oxytocin is largely responsible for the development of human bonding behavior and the positive loving emotions that we feel in our relationships. Oxytocin may also be responsible for our tendency as humans to desire and establish long-term monogamous relationships.


The “Love Hormone”

Of all mammals only three percent have a tendency toward monogamy. In the animal kingdom, the prairie vole and its cousin, the montane vole, have been studied for their monogamous versus polygamous nature. It seems that these small mice like species are the same in most respects but interestingly, the oxytocin hormone is substantially higher in the prairie vole. Oxytocin has been linked, not only to the prairie vole’s monogamous nature, but to its social behavior such as grooming, defending its nest and the fact that both father and mother care for the young.

What Does Oxytocin Do?

Oxytocin is best known for its functions related to childbirth and the establishment of a mother/child bond. In addition to stimulating the uterus at childbirth, oxytocin promotes the “let down” reflex associated with breastfeeding. In fact, it induces such sensitivity in women that the cry of a baby, even if it is not their own, can cause lactating mothers to release milk. Additionally this hormone invokes maternal behavior and emotions characteristic of nurturing mothers.

Many facets of romantic relationships are affected and, to an extent, determined by oxytocin levels. Engagement in both foreplay and sexual intercourse elevate oxytocin activity which, in turn, often produces an intense emotional feeling of connectedness and attachment. Oxytocin is an essential element for these types of long-term relationship building functions.

Childbirth and romantic interludes are not the only way to increase oxytocin levels. Simply holding hands, nurturing a child or elderly person, or grooming a pet will also raise the level of this powerful hormone. In fact, oxytocin may be one of the reasons that people get physical health benefits from healing processes like massage or psychological benefits from support groups.

Oxytocin seems to be a common ingredient in monogamous relationships as well as the hormone that establishes other emotional connections. From prairie voles to humans, hormones have always played a large part in everything from social to sexual behavior. In humans, oxytocin functions as the natural “love hormone” that has many far-reaching health benefits.