August 31st, 2009 by admin

By Kirsten Olson,
Author of Wounded by School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture

Schools can be frustrating and difficult places to learn, as many parents of children and young adults know. From a kid’s point of view, feedback on schoolwork is often negative, red-pencilly and snarly. Learning tasks are flattening, and opportunities to choose what will be learned are few and far between. “I’m one taco short of a combination plate,” a middle schooler recently told his mom. Fostering a kid’s potential, especially if that kid is unusual or offbeat, can be daunting. Read the rest of this entry »

July 3rd, 2008 by admin

Partnership for a Drug-Free America Launches Digital Effort to Help Parents Grasp Teen Behavior and Connect with their Kids

New Study Shows Parents Need the Most Help Talking
About Drugs and Alcohol as Kids Enter Teen Years

NEW YORK, NY,– For every parent of a teenager who has ever wondered “who is this kid?” a new web destination, launched today by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, aims to make answering the question a little bit easier.  Designed to help parents navigate the confusing, often frustrating teen years, “A Parent’s Guide to the Teen Brain” translates recent scientific findings that shed light on how brain development shapes teens’ behavior and personalities into easy-to-understand tips and tools for parents. Read the rest of this entry »