Good morning!  My name’s Kathy and I’ll be taking over this blog from Brian.  It’s great to be here, because I really love to talk about kids,families, parenting, and all of that stuff. 

I am married and the mother of 3 kids, two girls and a boy.  One of my kids is adopted and one’s almost a teenager (their ages are 5, 11, and 12).  I also teach college and write. 

If there’s something you’d like to learn more about, you can mention it in the comments, or you can email me at kidsyap@yahoo.com.  I’ll do what I can do find out more about it. 

In the meantime, it’s still the beginning of January, so Happy New Year to all of you.  Has anyone made any resolutions concerning their kids, parenting, or family lives?  Two of mine are to make one of the major repairs our old house needs–which means either new windows, new carpet, or remodelling the downstairs bathroom–and taking a family vacation.  We didn’t take one in 2008, but we were actually able to go to Branson for a few days in 2007.  That was a lot of fun.  This year, we’re thinking maybe St. Louis, but I guess we’ll have to see. 

We just want our kids to have good memories, you know?  So, family-oriented resolutions, anyone?

You must determine the different risks that your youngster might be exposed to so that you can guard her or him. They are depression, rebellion, addiction, legal rebellion, academic pressure and violence.

A child’s teenage years are likely the most testing years that parents should endure. Because teenagers battle with the changes that are occurring within them, they’re really vulnerable to several bad influences present among them.

Depression

Teenagers at risk for depression aren’t an unusual incident. Colleges have student consultants specially educated to guide adolescents dealing with the start of depression, which could be caused by various exterior and interior elements afflicting him. Depression is an early indication that could indicate more severe risks and need to be dealt with without delay.

Rebellion

Most young children rebel at a certain stage or other. Adolescent rebellion comes from pent-up disappointment, confusion and anger. The main reason teenagers rebel originates from a single desire: the need for attention. Teens often feel ignored and desire the attention as well as approval of the people they look up to. They are at an age where they are assessing the waters and struggling with defining their particular personality and place within the modern society.

Addiction

Teenagers believe it is very challenging to manage all the perplexing changes which perpetually surround them. Due to this and pressure from peers, teens are really susceptible to addiction and substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol are two of the most risky aspects that could be present in a teen’s life.

Lawful rebellion

Some teenagers consider breaking the rules to a whole new level and are occasionally goaded by their good friends to destroy the law. It breaks a parent’s soul to know that their child has been detained even for the slightest reason. This should clearly be a red flag as lawful rebellion can lead to catastrophic problem and ruin bright futures.

Instructional pressure

The demands of educational excellence could place substantial stress on an adolescent. The need and drive to succeed in order to achieve entrance into top schools and universities can take its toll on your child’s mental well being. To help keep depression and also rebellion at bay, it is very important as a parent to make sure that your adolescent approaches his studies with a wide open mind and is not pushed to take classes and do things they are not comfortable with. Encourage and motivate your kid even when they are not performing as well as you hope they’d. Usually, adolescents desire their parents’ acceptance, and you need to do your part to comfort them with the knowledge that you will always be there for them no matter what.

Violence

Each time we hear of a college shooting, our blood works cold. There’s no question that teenagers experience stress and pressure that if not well-contained can bubble up to the surface in a volcanic spit of frustration. Adolescents today are exposed to brutal films and violence from their buddies in school. From hallway bullies to big time thugs, your child may be vulnerable to the physical and mental pain that may be inflicted by his friends. Become meticulous at all times for behavioral changes, and spend some time getting your kid to trust you enough to seek your protection and advice.

You must safeguard your adolescents from the very actual dangers that these threat pose. Identifying the issue is the first step you can take, but careful attention has to be paid to help them out of it.

My 4 year old nephew can hardly utter sentences correctly. He still isn’t able to say words properly, and it’s a cause for worry for his parents. They are assured by the fact that in our family, boys almost always have speech delay problems. And there hasn’t really been any serious problem with it.

A new study done in Australia says that late talkers among young kids end up growing up fine. This is in answer to another study which also stipulates that the delayed speech may be a symptom of mental disorder, which is what actually worries most parents.

In the study done in Australia, some 1400 toddlers have been subjects and were followed and monitored through an intensive research. The toddlers are now teenagers who all experienced speech delay when they were below five years old. But what was discovered in the study was that they are now doing fine, with no problems of lagging behind their peers.

According to the experts, in this case, the wait and see approach is definitely better than having to worry about developmental delays.

Experts also say that when kids are introduced to daycare a lot earlier and learn to socialize with other children, eventually speech development comes naturally. The constant association with peers helps not just with their social development, it was discovered. It also affects physical factors to a child’s development, all the more reason for parents to consider sending kids to play group or a play school, in spite what others may feel as still too early.

While their bodies are a lot more limber than adults, children may still experience back pains just like we do and will most likely not notice. There is a danger in not giving attention to this right away as back pains can hinder with the body’s development and become the cause of other underlying problems.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, here are symptoms parents should watch out for with children experiencing back pains:

• Losing weight or running a fever.
• Complaining of numbness or weakness.
• Having difficulty walking.
• Having pain that extends from the back down one or both of the legs.
• Having bladder- or bowel-control issues.
• Having pain that prevents the child from sleeping.

If any of these symptoms are present, an examination done by the doctor is necessary to evaluate it. Physical exams, MRI, CT Scans and Xrays may be asked.

Back pains are usually signs of the following condition, according to OrthoInfo.Org, and develop as early as pre-teen stage, so parents must not ignore it:

Muscle Strain and Imbalances
Musculoskeletal strain is most often responsible for back pain in children and adolescents. This type of pain frequently responds to rest, anti-inflammatory medications, and an exercise program.

Stress Fracture of the Spine
Spondylolysis, or stress fracture, may cause lower back pain in adolescents. Stress fractures may occur during adolescent growth spurts or in sports that repeatedly twist and hyperextend the spine, like gymnastics, diving, and football.

Infection
In young children, infection in a disk space (diskitis) can lead to back pain. Diskitis typically affects children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, although older children and teenagers can also be affected.

Tumor
On rare occasion, tumors, such as osteoid osteoma, can be responsible for back pain. When they occur, tumors of the spine are most often found in the middle or lower back. Pain is constant and usually becomes worse over time. This pain is progressive; it is unrelated to activity and/or happens at night.

Slipped Vertebra
A slipped vertebra, or spondylolisthesis, occurs when one vertebra shifts forward on the next vertebra directly below. It usually occurs at the base of the spine (lumbosacral junction). In severe cases, the bone narrows the spinal canal, which presses on the nerves.