Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The National Institute for Drug Abuse offers this page about drugs and drug abuse for teens. There's a lot of factual information, some quizzes, and a wealth of statistics on the decline in drug use among teens. The coverage also includes ecstasy and the "date rape" drugs. Counselors and nurses may find this one particularly useful.

tag(s): drugs and alcohol (28), red ribbon week (10)

New York State offers this set of pages about traffic safety for children. While the design isn't particularly child-friendly, there is good content and plenty of illustrations.

tag(s): safety (68)

This site offers a complete on-screen primer on fire safety for parents of all ages of children. The very top menu includes an Image Gallery and Podcasts.The menu on the left includes many valuable articles including Prevent Fires, At Risk Audiences, Arson and Youth Firesetting, Outdoor Fires/Wildfires, and many others. This one's worth adding to your Favorites for safety topics.

tag(s): fire (22), fire prevention (16), fire safety (16), safety (68)

This non-profit organization recommends books and educational toys and games for young people.

This US Department of Agriculture site provides valuable information for parents interested in teaching their children healthy eating habits. The site has a seasonal guide for healthy eating, ten tips for planning healthy school lunches, activities that parents and children can do together, and a list of health conscious reading resources sorted by age-group.

tag(s): nutrition (139)

Developed with funding from the National Center for Environmental Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this site may be helpful to parents looking to keep household products out of the reach of youngsters. You can search the database by product category, or by active chemical ingredients. Detailed information about each of the included products gives proper handling instructions, safety precautions, and information for the safe and appropriate disposal of these products.

tag(s): poisons (2), safety (68)

While there's a wealth of "common knowledge" about what it takes to succeed in higher education, specific discussions of the factors and preparation that let students succeed is harder to find. Developed by a consortium of leading universities, this online PDF reference is the sort of reading that counselors, parents, and students should have available when they begin to plan their high school careers.

tag(s): college (45)

Adult's expectations can be overwhelming for children. Learn about the two types of expectations parents have for their children and how too much expectation can be crushing. This site guides parents to listen and be realistic about what they want from children.

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Know the warning signs and don't ignore them, suicide is the third leading cause of death in teens and young 'twenty-somethings'. Visit this site to get the clues, information to help someone who is at risk, and the Girls and Boys Town Hotline Number for suicide prevention.

tag(s): difficult conversations (57), emotions (52)

Inhalants are easy to get and potentially fatal. Every parent needs be sure they understand the dangers and the symptoms of inhalant abuse. This site lists what to watch for and offers a crisis intervention phone number for parents and teens.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): drugs and alcohol (28)

Your teen's friends need to be aware of your expectations when they visit your home. Here are some helpful suggestions for parents to use before an embarrassing situation arises.

tag(s): parents (56)

Sometimes simple rules can guide us through life's more difficult tasks and learning to apologize is one of them. This site lists some steps to use when offering a sincere apology, an important skill for parents as well as children.

tag(s): family (49)

Understanding healthy boundaries can protect your teen from situations they cannot handle. This site offers some information and warning signs parents can look for to determine if a teen's boundaries are too open.

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When used correctly, a positive consequence will increase the frequency of positive behavior. Here are some suggestions for positive consequences that parents can try with their children.

tag(s): behavior (43), character education (81), family (49)

This site presents information about how peer pressure can be exerted and tells parents what signs mean your child is most vulnerable. Included are simple suggestions parents can use to counteract the negative effects of peer pressure, we wish this valuable information was more in depth.

tag(s): family (49)

This site explains the use of charts and contracts to change children's behavior. With charts and contracts, privileges are contingent on specific behaviors you want to see from your kids.

tag(s): family (49)

Help your child form a positive self image by following the suggestions on this site. By focusing on skill improvement and honest effort rather than performance, parents can support their children through many challenges. We wish this site had more information and examples.

tag(s): family (49)

This site lays out the advantages and disadvantages of video games. Several commonsense guidelines are offered to help parents keep video games in their place.

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Always a difficult subject, bullies can ruin your child's upper elementary school day. Bullies often manage to operate without adults' awareness. Here are five straightforward strategies to help your child deal with bullies.

tag(s): bullying (48), emotions (52)

Here are some commonsense suggestions parents can use to foster successful experiences in school. This site focuses on the after school hours and good daily habits.

tag(s): family (49)