Teen Socializing and Self-Expression

When Your Daughter Hangs Out with the Wrong Crowd Explosives Dr. Johns has a warning: Mothers have to be careful not to overdo their involvement if the situation isn't serious. Smothering a daughter prevents her from finding and feeling capable...

Primal Teen: Tattoos and Body Piercing You may have taken your daughter to get her ears pierced when she was still in elementary school—so now you're shocked that she wants extra holes? Or that your son wants some, too? Go figure. (You ought t...

The prom after-party has become synonymous with sex, drugs and drinking. It's no wonder parents and school administrators across the country have teamed up to offer their own post-prom alternatives. Looking for ideas for your teen's prom after-p...

From Black Leather to Blue Hair: Teens and Their Appearance Teens use their appearance as a way to explore who they are (not define who they are). If you give them a few months, they'll move on to something else. Most forms of experimentation ar...

Life as an Adolescent What is your child going through? You may think you remember adolescence, but keep in mind that your memories are colored by your hormones, and that every person's experience is his own. Who Am I Today? Your adolescent is i...

First FormalDirections Send formal invitations to about ten children. They should resemble wedding invitations with full names and addresses written out. Decorate the party area with real or artificial flowers, tall candles, white tablecloths, an...

The Pressures on Adolescent Girls Adolescence is marked by an internal struggle between one's true self and a false projection of self, contends Mary Pipher, Ph.D., and author of Reviving Ophelia, Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls (G.P. Put...

Maximize Your Daughter's Social SkillsYour daughter's school's climate and the availability of her teachers affect whether she builds strong social connections. If she is feeling disconnected, you may question whether she is in the right place (m...

Coping with Teens' FashionsBlue Hair, Nose Rings, and What Really Matters They were engaged in animated conversation, laughing often, and clearly enjoying each other's company. They staged a mock fight with their chopsticks for a contested egg ro...

Cliques and Fitting In(Brought to you by National PTA) A Chicago mom confesses that her beautiful sixth-grade daughter cries in her room nightly, afraid she won't look right tomorrow and she will lose her standing in her group at school. A teach...

Prom night can be stressful for parents. These tips will help you ensure a safe, worry-free evening. ...

If you feel your child is not safe with a friend, you have every right to tell that friend's parents. ...

It's a good idea to have conversations with a child about what it means to be popular. Girls in their early teens often worry too much about popularity. ...

Stick to your beliefs and don't allow other parents to sway you when you're setting the rules for your children. ...

The Scene: Your 18-year-old daughter and her date are invited to a pre-prom party at a friend's and several post-prom parties. You want her to have a wonderful time, but you're worried about her drinking. When you raise the issue with her, she ro...

There is great pressure on adolescents by their peers not to conform and to be tough. ...

Teens aren't equipped to deal with the attention and sexual pressure from boys that their sexual dress invites. ...

Find out what potential health problems body piercings can cause. ...