Parenting and Learning Issues

The debate over sex education in public schools has now been extended to the question of what schools should do after students choose to have sex.

According to recent reports, teen pregnancy is on the rise across the entire country. In fact, as Martinsville Bulletin reports in “Teen Birth Rates Soar,” the national birth rate among teens aged 15 to 19 has increased by 1.4 percent from 2006 to 2007. In total, this equates to 42.5 births for every 1,000 females in this age group.

With the rising rate of teenage pregnancy, many communities are being forced to debate over whether or not public schools should provide day care programs for teen parents. Many teenage parents, especially teenage moms, choose to drop out upon giving birth to their child. Therefore, some leaders assert that public school daycare programs can help decrease the propensity for some teen parents to not reach graduation. On the other side of the argument, many public leaders and community members believe that day care only encourages irresponsible sexual choices.

The Pros of Public School Day Care

As the Martinsville Bulletin further reveals, in areas of lower income and employment rates, teenage pregnancy rates tend to rise. For example, Henry County, located in Virginia, experienced a startling increase from 33.8 children for every 1,000 females to 40.9 children for every 1,000 females (under the age of 20) over the course of just

While high school dances were originally established as an appropriate social outlet, dances today have evolved to push the limits of new boundaries. Current school leaders assert that the music played at dances is increasingly suggestive, while students’ dance moves have become more overtly sexual.

With the rise in questionable behavior and elicit dance moves at school events, many school leaders are banning dancing-based events, or in some cases, even prohibiting some students to attend. In an attempt to enforce modest conduct in co-ed interactions, schools are trying to navigate the fine line between students’ celebrations and misbehavior.

What’s the Big Dancing Debate?

While high school students may view their dancing and interactions as innocent and fairly commonplace, the observations through adult and school leaders’ eyes take in a much different understanding.

As SeaCoast Online News reveals in their examination of one local high school, the administration team of Exeter High School banned 19 of their students from a school-sponsored dance due to inappropriate dancing behavior. The dancing that was viewed by school leaders as offensive is commonly referred to as “grinding.” As SeaCoast explains, “This type of dancing, in which two dancers rub their bodies against each other in a sexually suggestive manner, has been a problem at the school for about a year.” Yet this problem is not solely an issue at just a handful of schools. According to school leaders, many administrators are beginning to ban specific songs during school dances in

Despite protests from parents and teachers, many students adopt and embrace habits of insomnia during their essential school years. Especially in the middle and high school years, many young teens receive far less than the recommended average amount of sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggests that all people—both teens and adults—should receive at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Despite this recommendation, however, studies show that most students receive less than 6.5 hours of sleep each night. According to experts, the amount of sleep a student receives during his or her school years ultimately influences the outcome of each student’s academic performance.

The Significance of Sleep

As reported by BC Heights, a 2007 study of sleeplessness revealed that a lack of sleep leads to an array of health problems. Specifically, a lack of sleep actually drops the number of white blood cells in the body. With a loss of white blood cells, the body’s immune system is also taxed and less powerful. In a 2007 study, as experts examined the influence of sleep in rats, scientists discovered that after significant and consistent sleep loss, the rats’ immune systems eventually completely failed.

While sleep helps restore our immune systems and bodies, the role of sleep in one’s academic abilities is a bit more unique. As the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) supports, sleep is not only

The elementary school years play a formative role in shaping a child’s self-esteem and confidence. Children with high self-esteem typically tackle new challenges more effectively, achieve more success in school, and generally exhibit fewer personal and behavioral issues.

On the contrary, children with low self-esteem tend to experience higher levels of anxiety and frustration. Additionally, low self-esteem can cause children to become passive and withdrawn from school and friends. As self-esteem plays a critical role in a child’s overall personality development, attitude, and persona, parents can utilize five specific strategies to boost their child’s positive feelings and confidence.

Five Strategies for Self Esteem

According to the Nemours Foundation, self-esteem is the term that is used to describe a child’s general feelings of self-worth. Self-esteem is often gauged by how one collectively feels about him or herself, and self-esteem also influences our personal beliefs about our abilities, desires, and interests.

The Nemours Foundation further articulates that parents play a large role in their child’s development of esteem: “As kids try, fail, try again, fail again, and then finally succeed, they develop ideas about their own capabilities. At the same time, they're creating a self-concept based on interactions with other people.” Experts assert that parents should implement specific strategies to encourage the positive development of their child’s esteem and confidence.

1. Use Positive Encouragement

One of the best ways to boost self-esteem in

New struggles and challenges must be confronted at each grade level during a child’s academic development. Specifically, in the public high school years, many teens struggle to stay organized, facing difficulty managing their assignments and agendas. The high school years open students to far more freedoms, social opportunities, new technologies, and countless distractions. Subsequently, many teens cannot seem to figure out how to manage all of their obligations.

Being organized is an essential skill that will help your teen as he or she grows into an adult. Research shows that organized students develop habits that will help them perform better in school and in the long term in their professional and adult life. Thankfully, there are several ways parents can continue to guide their teenage children toward greater organization and self-management.

Secrets to Teenage Organization

One of the main reasons many parents struggle to guide their teenage children towards organization is the common teenage desire for freedom from their parents. As teens encounter more privileges and responsibilities, they want to break free from the parental nest.

During this period of unrest and self-discovery, teens quickly feel overwhelmed and disorganized. As teens desire more freedom and self-control, parents are often pushed away as they try to intervene. Despite this power struggle, parents can still offer guidance and support.

Set the Boundaries

First and foremost, if your teen is among the many who desire to assert their independence, you must first set and explain clear boundaries and expectations.