Teen Advice Archives
September, 2010
College kids give tips on stretching a dollar
Editor’s Note: I’m happy to share that credit card reform law was passed in 2009 and was phased in…
August, 2010
School showers special hell for some boys
Editor’s Note: Oh, to be able to return to high school and handle a situation like this with the confidence…
Girls’ bathroom brings out worst manners
Editor’s Note: I am saddened by the continual accounts of bullying in our public schools — especially…
Dad’s pot habit riles daughter
Editor’s Note: Yes, I did say to tell on the sister. I really do have no love for marijuana or lame habits.…
Cold feet over school showers
Editor’s Web Note: Like the spotted owl, school showers have become an endangered species (in this case,…
July, 2010
Lucy in the Sky with DMT (today’s LSD)
Editor’s Web Note: Just for the record, when the Beatles produced “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”…
Can you trust calling parents for a ride?
Editor’s Web Note: Many parents insist they can be called. But parents, will your teen actually call you?…
Caffeine overdose blues
Editor’s Web Note: Lest you wonder why every small town breeds Starbucks like rabbits, consider a Wall…
Fatherlessness a major factor in teen failures
Editor’s Web Note: As of 2003, there were 10 million single-mother families and 2 million single-father…
June, 2010
Stepdad’s smoke permeates small apartment
Editor’s Web Note: To all teens who smoke: Quit now. Not only is it easier when you’re young, but…
Poor health and lots of it
Editor’s Web Note: Who needs global warming or nuclear bombs? We can go extinct with Cheetos and Big Gulps.…
Hey Sis, put some clothes on
Editor’s Web Note: It’s difficult enough for a boy these days with all these alpha females everywhere,…
Teen blows up at racist grandparent
Editor’s Web Note: My stepfather grew up in the South and was quite racist. My mother, who had raised my…
Boyfriend smokes in girl’s bedroom—yuck!
Editor’s Web Note: This is an easy question compared to situations where it’s a parent or stepparent…
May, 2010
Teach your children well… about sex, porn, love
Editor’s Web Note: The sex industry has, well, industrialized sex. Sexual intimacy is reduced to body parts…
“Drug-free” cool? Gonna take a revolution
Editor’s Web Note: The straight edge movement is a sure sign that more than a few youth are tired of the…
Twin beds, open dialogue best solution for sleepover issues
Editor’s Web Note: The Boomer and Gen X parents of today’s Millennials have a lot of catching up…
Gay-straight sleepover: Part 2
Editor’s Web Note: I’m grateful to all the readers and young people on the panel for making this…
April, 2010
Gay-straight sleepover debate gets no rest
Editor’s Note: We deal with some tough issues in this column! One thing I’ve noticed when people…
Boy has prom jitters
Editor’s Web Note: To my high school readers who are planning to “whoop it up” at prom with…
Mom reads Internet posts about daughter’s oral sex
Editor’s Web Note: Lest you think after reading today’s column that every teenager engages in the…
Is boy messed up from drugs or mental illness?
Editor’s Note: Like Gabe says below, some kids can drink like fish with no hangover, others are puking…
March, 2010
Boy’s sexting collection considered child porn
Editor’s Web Note: As a teen advocate, I’ve felt the fascination by the adult community about teen…
Getting GED to escape drug crowd not best solution
Editor’s Web Note: Beware the student who says she wants a GED so she can start…
Sex talk easier with older sibling than with Mom
Editor’s Web Note: The “sex talk” is one of the most nerve-wracking things a parent faces.…
Does same-sex attraction mean you’re gay or bi?
Editor’s Web Note: If there is ever a topic that I get boatloads of mail about, it is this. The mail is…
Do electronic distractions make you dumb?
Editor’s Web Note: Talk about brain drain. Multi-tasking is the biggest mass waste of our evolved brain…
February, 2010
Best friend has two moms
Editor’s Web Note: The biggest sexual revolution since the sixties is taking place right now. We went from…
Mom flips out when twins want to enlist
Editor’s Web Note: I am an advocate of mandatory national service with non-military options (see our column…
Bullying will continue until boys demand justice
Editor’s Web Note: This column tells the deeper story of how poorly bullying is being addressed on our…
Is 16 too young to know true love?
Editor’s Web Note: True love. Everyone wants it, but few experience it in a lasting format. Please use…
January, 2010
Will searching for birth parents hurt real parents?
Editor’s Web Note: I recently met someone in his fifties who just learned he was adopted when his mother…
“Avatar” blues: Fans long for connection to Nature
Editor’s Web Note: Could humans finally be weary of violence and exploitation? As of today’s date,…
“Friends with benefits” at corner of Heartbreak and Pain
Editor’s Web Note: “Friends with benefits” is the new term for what used to be called a “relationship…
Millennials might be next “Greatest Generation”
Editor’s Web Note: I get so excited about this generation. They are the most socially tolerant, emotionally…
December, 2009
Millennial Generation creating a kinder, smarter world—Part I
Editor’s Web Note: This is one of my favorite columns of the year and this year the panel had so much to…
Teens like—but don’t respect—parents who allow booze parties
Editor’s Web Note: I hope today’s column gives pause to parents who think they are doing the right…
Should daughter be allowed on vacation with boyfriend and his family?
Editor’s Web Note: This generation can’t get enough of each other. They really like each…
Stepparent plays Scrooge to spouse’s kid
Editor’s Web Note: Favoritism in gift-giving is extremely prevalent at all levels: grandparents, aunts,…
Know the warning signs, most suicides signaled in advance
Editor’s Web Note: The holidays are here, along with extra stress. I’m hoping families will take…
November, 2009
Sibling confides, then denies, suicidal feelings. Now what?
Editor’s Web Note: The experiences the panelists share in this column help dispel one of the most dangerous…
From the source: Best holiday gifts for teens
Editor’s Web Note: Choosing the right gift for someone is rarely easy. Probably half the gifts we purchase…
He’s just not that into you
Editor’s Web Note: This column is dedicated to all who have ever had a broken heart. — Lauren
Should lesbian friend be allowed for sleepovers?
Editor’s Web Note: This generation is “such good friends” with each other that a lot of parents…
October, 2009
Mom bans friend from house for using obscenities
Editor’s Web Note: What I learned from this column is that obscene language is so prevalent in society…
What’s too slutty, even at Halloween?
Editor’s Web Note: This is an area where guidance is needed and the panel delivers! For those who’ve…
Alcoholic stepfather verbally abuses son
Editor’s Web Note: Alcohol is often used to “find out who someone really is”. But is the evil…
Son uncomfortable with “au naturale” mother
Editor’s Web Note: WHAT are some parents THINKING?…
September, 2009
Gay girl fears “coming out” to intolerant parents
Editor’s Web Note: Welcome to another straight-shooting smorgasbord of advice from the youth panel. Distinct…
