• Safety Tips:
• Community Safety: Hosting your Teen's Party
• School Safety: Teaching Tolerance Grant Funds
• Questions & Answers:
• Statistics: Time for Juvenile Crime
• One Opinion: Open to Discussion

Community Safety:

Last month we discussed what precautions a parent could take when their 15 year old was heading out to summer evening parties. What can a parent do to ensure that a teen's party hosted in their own home is safe?

We've all seen movies where the kids have wild parties as soon as their parents leave for the weekend, often trashing the house with lots of alcohol-induced vomiting. We may even have laughed at those movies. Somehow, when it is your child, and your home, it just isn't as funny anymore.

The most obvious solution is to be home during the party. You don't have to be the caterer or hover around, but your presence in the house will deter silly behaviors from getting out of hand. Make it known early on that if someone chooses to leave the party, there is a "no return" policy in effect. This prevents youths from leaving to drink or get high off of your property and then returning.

Talk to your child in advance about having the party be "by invitation only" so party "crashers" can't drop in and spoil the atmosphere. If someone comes in who was not invited, let your child know that you expect to be told immediately, and do not hesitate to explain to the uninvited guest that you had to restrict the size tonight, but maybe next party. Just knowing you are there will likely send any troublemakers on their way anyway!

If any one, invited or not, shows up with drugs or alcohol, you need to call their parents and/or the police. All youth need to know how to set a limit and have it be respected. It's your home, and they are in your care while in your home.

Need help with these talks? Visit http://www.talkingwithkids.org/

School Safety:

Got a Creative Idea?

The Teaching Tolerance Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center offers grants of up to $2,000 for K-12 classroom teachers for implementing tolerance projects in their schools and communities. Proposals from other educators such as community organizations and churches will be considered on the basis of direct student impact.

For details visit: http://splcenter.org/teachingtolerance/tt-5.html

Question from a Reader, and Our Answer:

Q. My husband says I am reading too much into what my ten year old daughter is saying, but I am concerned that we may be facing a child molester. My daughter cries and fusses when I tell her she is going to see her doctor, but she does not behave like that when I take her see the other doctor in the practice. She tells me she does not like what the doctor "does." My husband says that is normal, that no child likes to go to the doctor. I am not so sure. What should I do?

A. First, commend yourself for listening with your heart wide open. Second, ask for details of what the doctor "does." If it sounds far-fetched, remember she has no reason to make it up. Plus, it is interesting she does not object to seeing the other doctor. Ask her if she wants you to remain during the examination.

Start by requesting to only have her seen by the doctor your daughter prefers, even if it means waiting for a later appointment. If you know other parents, ask them if their child has a similar dislike for the doctor in question. If you suspect there may be inappropriate behavior, do not hesitate to let professionals investigate. Call your "State Board of Professional Standards" to get information on how to report your fears, and remember that your courage may protect innocent children. If the doctor is innocent, he will have nothing to worry about during the investigation.

Statistics:

+ More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined.

+ For every two victims of homicide in the U.S. there are three persons who take their own lives.

+ There are now twice as many deaths due to suicide than due to HIV/AIDS.

+ Between 1952 and 1995, the incidence of suicide among adolescents and young adults nearly tripled.

These statistics are from a complete report at http://www.mentalhealth.org.

One Opinion, Open for Discussion:

So often the media portrays youth as troublemakers. It is time Americans began to widen our view of our youth, to see them asÊ"100% of our future," and devote the time and resources to develop a positive forward-looking youth policy.

The Younger Americans Act would create, for the first time in national history, a comprehensive policy to address issues to advance the strengths and potential of our youth. This national action plan would address the needs of all youth, without requiring that they first fall into a negative category such a "juvenile delinquent" before they can participate.

It is time for such a positive program to enrich the lives of our youth across the nation. Many organizations are working to together to help pass this historic legislation, from the YMCA of America to the United Way of America to name just two. If you belong to an organization, whether a teacher's union or a police auxiliary, perhaps you can get involved too. Visit www.nydic.org for details, including the text of the legislation and sample support letter

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