Teens and Dating

Dating Violence and Your Teen: Know the Facts In February 2009, teen pop star Chris Brown allegedly beat and verbally threatened his celebrity girlfriend Rihanna inside his car before leaving her and driving off. Rihanna is 21 years old; Brown is...

Supporting Your Gay Teen There are few parents who can easily and completely accept the news that their child is gay. Even those who are comfortable with homosexuality and same-sex marriage may find themselves having difficulty. They may feel th...

Lesbian Daughters, Straight Moms Most of the available information confirms that for a woman who is a lesbian, the most difficult personal task she faces is admitting that she is gay to herself and then her family—particularly her mother. The ...

Your Girl's Broken Heart A good reason for girls to get involved in sports, besides honing their physical talents and learning teamwork, is that they learn how to accept losses. Sooner or later, even the best female athlete or the best girls' t...

What to Expect When Mr. Right Enters Your Daughter's Life Both mother and daughter will be overcome with joy if Mr. Right seems perfect to both of you. In addition to the euphoria, you may be surprised at some of the other emotions that surface....

Our expert suggests ways a mother can help a child deal with unwanted sexual overtures. ...

Our expert says that teens should be allowed to socialize in any room of the house, with the exception of the bedroom. ...

A mother seeks help in dealing with her feelings and advising her son, after learning that he is gay. ...

One incident does not make a teen a pedophile, but it does indicate the need for a discussion with a skilled, compassionate therapist. ...

A mother worries that her five-year-old's displays of affection toward his friends are inappropriate. ...

Our expert believes that 11-year-olds are far too young to engage in dating behaviors. ...

What used to be unheard of in elementary school is now common practice -- taunting and bullying based on actual or perceived sexual orientation. ...

Attempts to control a 16-year-old by forbidding her from doing natural, healthy things that are part of her growth and development may backfire. ...

Talking on the phone is a privilege, not a right. Whether teens are talking to boys or girls on the phone, the rules should be the same. ...

Each stage of parenting offers its own unique challenges for very different reasons. Newborns make for a complete shock to your way of life. Toddlers let you know very quickly that you're not in charge. Elementary school kids can at least commun...

Understanding Your Gay TeenA Primer for Parents As parents we cling to many fantasies about our kids. When they're babies, we tell ourselves: When they become toddlers, they'll never throw tantrums in the mall. When they're toddlers, we tell ours...

Many parents respond to the appearance of love lives in their teenagers by clicking into fear and the memories of their own teenage romantic experiences. ...

Valentine's Day Reconsidered(Broken) Hearts and Flowers Howard Carlin* and Diane Richards* sat at their fourth-grade desks, trying to pretend they didn't care about receiving only a couple of valentine cards. It was Valentine's Day card exchange ...