Most teenagers start sleeping less and less or more and more as the time passes. Some teens have trouble falling asleep at night and sleep till late in the afternoon, in most cases that is normal, it is caused by overload, emotional issues, but in some cases we are talking about sleeping disorders. Even if it is not a sleeping disorder, sleep deprivation over a longer period of time can lead to sleep deficit.

Sleep deficit causes the body to learn a routine, a very unhealthy routine, it goes until you are too tired to think and you want to sleep but can’t. Your body is used to not sleeping and fails to go down. Sleep deficit causes plenty of unwanted effects like lack of concentration, weight loss, depression and many other things.

There is more to this than just the restless teen spirit, in fact our body starts to work differently about that age. One of the things that is different is the production of melatonin hormone, when we enter the teen years we start to produce melatonin late at night, and that is why we have trouble falling asleep. That settles down with adulthood for most of the people. So this is our first and basic reason why we have trouble sleeping in teen years, but from there on we can develop insomnia very easy, all you need to add to the combination is stress, maybe a headache or any other discomfort and you have yourself insomnia.

Well, this is not something to panic about, we all have insomnia every now and then, the question is how long it lasts. If it is a few days then it’s a normal thing and we shouldn’t sound the alarm, but if it persists over a longer period of time you need to consider it as chronic insomnia and you need to get your child to a treatment.

Nightmares are one of the causes of insomnia and sleeping disorders. Not just a night or two, nightmares are known to cause sleeping problems for a longer period of time and such cases are considered dangerous. The reason why they are dangerous is that they lead to mental instability and are caused in most cases by alcohols and drug abuse, stress, sleep deprivation.

A very common sleeping disorder is narcolepsy, which is when we fall asleep uncontrolled. This usually goes on for a few weeks until the body gets back to normal, but chronic narcolepsy can be very dangerous and such person needs to be supervised at all times. People that have chronic narcolepsy are forbidden to drive and do other similar activities as they never know when they are going to fall asleep and put theirs and other people’s lives in danger.

Sleeping disorders and sleep deprivation are very harmful for teens bodies, over a longer period of time sleeping disorders may cause brain damage, affect healing rates, attention, concentration, learning capabilities, weight loss and weight gain and diabetes and kidney failure. In some cases it causes delusions and mental instability, so these are all the reasons to take your teen child straight to the doctor’s office.

Most of the parents are always worried if their child is eating enough, if their child getting enough vitamin and minerals, does he eat too much or maybe even have an eating disorder, obesity, anorexia? Well, since obesity is a rising problem in the US parents should take care, and anorexia, bulimia and other well known eating disorders are on the rise and are now presented more than ever before.

The good thing is that parents finally started taking care of their children’s not so known problems and they are getting educated about eating disorders. But there is a problem, people are educated about anorexia and bulimia or binge eating by the media, but the same media fails to let parents know about other eating disorders with even tougher side effects and consequences. Let’s talk about some of the eating disorders that are spread around the globe in the same number as anorexia but are not so familiar to us.

Have you ever heard of people that have a need to eat everything they see and get their hands on? They would eat rubber, chalk, even wire and cigarette buds, this is an eating disorder and its called Pica. This is a mentally inherited eating disorder, but some people can develop it at early age without prior medical history in the family. It comes from low supervision by the parents; most kids will put anything in their mouth when they are not being watched.

A very serious type of eating disorder is Prader-Willi Syndrome. This is a birth defect, it is a brain development caused by damage or defect in the hypothalamus, the part that regulates our hunger and sensation of hunger. Prader-Willi Syndrome acts on that way that a person can never feel full; in fact it feels hunger all the time. Person with this eating disorder will not only eat normal food, they will also eat anything they can get their hands on, and in this case, it really is everything as there is also a certain mental problem in question.

There is also an eating disorder which is a total opposite of Anorexia, it is called Bigorexia. You can already guess what this is, this is a disorder where a person has the need to gain weight, most of the people that suffer from Bigorexia hang around gym’s, but in this case this is not just normal healthy workout. This is a very serious eating disorder which may cause hormonal imbalances; obesity, kidney failure and other sever medical issues. Most of the people with Bigorexia start using additives, weight gain product and steroids after a while.

There is a great number of eating disorders we don’t know much about, so if you have doubts that your teen child is developing one be sure to take him to a doctor. Don’t try to implement your knowledge and treat him at home as some of these eating disorders are very serious and should not be taken lightly.

The first and the most talked about reasons is that teenagers think it's cool, the same thing is with cigarettes and with drugs. But there are several reasons behind it, for instance, teenagers will be more likely to start drinking if they have parents who drink or if their friends drink. Parents need to give them a clear message and to educate them about drinking before they even think about drinking.

Alcohol is basically a drug that changes how we feel, the sensation that we feel at the lower levels of alcohol can be a very pleasant thing, which is what most of the people who drink look for, but unfortunately not all of us can stop when it is pleasant and we often take it overboard. That is even more common for teenagers, as they still don’t know their limits.

Alcohol is in fact a depressant for the central nervous system, so most people think they will chill out with a few drinks, but the few drinks often turn into much more, especially with teens, as they don’t know how much is enough. But there are plenty of other reasons why teenagers drink besides thinking its cool, another popular reason is curiosity. But that is why they start, or try alcohol in the first place.

Two more popular reasons are to fit in and to feel older. If you are thinking that it sounds stupid, it isn’t, well it is, but it’s not any more stupid than anything that we did in their age. I mean how many of us tried alcohol in our teen years? That is how teenagers are, and most of them will do just about anything to fit in, even do drugs.

It is needless to say that most of the reasons for drinking come from the family, as that can be well defined for adults it is not so easy for teenagers, as they are still experimenting and have no idea what they are getting themselves into. The only choice and option you have as a parent is to educate your child about alcohol and its effects before they try it. Maybe that will give them a better understanding of what they are missing.
 

Rape is an act of violence, many defend themselves by saying that they did it out of love or passion, that couldn’t be farther away from the truth, rape has nothing to do with love. The other notoriously famous statement from date rapists who claim they did it out of passion is that the person who got raped asked for it. They often describe the situation as they were being lured in, that the person who got raped led them on by wearing sexy or provocative clothes and the way they acted. Again, this couldn’t be farther away from the truth, there has never been an excuse for rape nor will there ever be one. The rapist is the one at fault, nothing said or done by the raped person can’t justify the rape.

That is one of the issue I am concerned about, teens dealing with the aftermath of rape. Teenagers are already in a fragile state of emotions as it is, rape can mess with their mind, feelings and some of the kids who experienced rape can never heal from it, especially the fact that someone they know raped them. In most cases with date rape people can’t deal with their emotions, they keep reliving the same thing over and over again, they become too afraid to get close to someone out of fear, eventually without help they will close in and self destruct from inside.

Date rape has that suicide effect on the victim, they can’t help but to feel responsible, to feel ashamed, like they did something wrong. The fear starts to reside in their hearts and if treatment and care aren’t provided from the start the consequences may be horrible, in some cases date rape victims even commit suicide. So how do you help your teen child or friend who was raped by a person he or she trusted?

There are three basic steps. First you have to make them believe that it wasn’t their fault, which is the most important thing. If they can’t go pass that point the situation may become critical. Letting go of the guilt and the feeling of responsibility is a must for date rape victims to move on. The second step is to seek medical care, both physical and mental. You need to make sure that you haven’t been infected by some sexually transmitted disease and at the same time therapy is necessary. The last part is to make them talk about their feelings, that is the only way to let go and move on.
 

There is something in the wilderness therapy programs that make a child turn for the best; maybe it’s just nature at work. But you need to be known that not all wilderness programs are for every child, the simple fact that not all of the wilderness programs are created equal should state that they only work with specific types of teens.

Well I said there is something in wilderness programs that helps a child; it’s not just “something”. Kids themselves have a tremendous capacity to see the truth in themselves, especially in a free environment, meaning no parents around. This is based upon self reflection in an environment free of all the distractions, computers, parents, friends, school, clothes, dates etc.

In wilderness programs it’s all about relearning the basics, controlling what can be controlled and letting go of things that cannot be controlled. A great thing is that wilderness programs represent and give challenges to these kids, which is what most kids need in order to find inspiration and motivation. And the best part is that they do it without pressure, so yes, the kids have a goal, a challenge they must complete, but they can do it on their own schedule, nobody is forcing them to do that in an hour. So they take responsibility for their actions.

Children that attend wilderness programs are seeing a therapist once or twice a week to discuss their progress and everything else that bothers them. Most of the children after just a few short weeks of hiking, sitting by the fire, achieving something on their own and talking with someone who listens come to a self discovery and they realize they have to change, they realize they have changed. They realize they don’t need to do drugs anymore, they don’t need to yell to express how they feel, they realize that they miss their friends and their family and that they are sorry for the things they’ve done.

Keep in mind that 6 to 8 weeks in wilderness may help most of the teens, but some troubled teenagers need more attention and special care than others. So talk to a professional and get your kid to an evaluation before making a decision. If your child is suited for a wilderness program that is one of the greatest experiences a kid can get, so don’t hold back to do it again even after your child get’s back on track.
 

Mental problems in teen years can lead to sever consequences, so if you have such a doubt you should check for signs of mental health problems, Look for these signs:

-    Your teen child is very angry most of the time, cries a lot or overreacts to things;
-    He or she feels worthless or guilty a lot;
-    Your teen is anxious or worried a lot more than other young people;
-    Your child is feeling grief for a long time after a loss or death;
-    Your child has unexplained fears
-    Your child is constantly concerned about physical problems or appearance;
-    And the most obvious one, your child is frightened that his or her mind is controlled or is out of control.

Other symptoms you need to take in consideration are changes that happened with your teen in the recent past. In most cases they happen suddenly:

-    Unexplained changes in sleeping or eating habits
-    Avoids friends or family and wants to be alone all the times
-    Daydreams too much and can't get things done;
-    Feels life is too hard to handle or talks about suicide;
-    Hears voices that cannot be explained.

There are other signs like:

-    Poor concentration
-    Worrying about being harmed
-    Constant nightmares
-    Alcohol and drug abuse
-    Aggressive behavior

Be sure that if these signs appear out of the blue or they are repeating over a longer period of time, you should consult a professional like a therapist. But also keep in mind that teenagers change their attitude and their behavior frequently, so if this is normal for your child or he changes his pattern in a few days or weeks you probably have nothing to worry about. But just in case, you should be on your guard.
 

It is too soon to make a significant statement about this rise, as it may be just one year out of many that have been proving that our sexual education system works. We will know more next year when the new stats come out. However, these stats made quite a stir among schools and churches, especially the fact that the abortion rate is on the rise. But my opinion is when pregnancy is on the rise, the abortion rates will also rise. As they failed to notice that the abortion rates rose proportionally with pregnancy rates, 3% pregnancy rise and 1% abortion rise, which is the same proportion we had in the last 15 years, approximately one abortion out of three teen pregnancies.

Since all of our states allow teen abortion the pressure is on the states that don’t require parent consent for their teens to go on with abortion. Statistics show that those states have a higher percentage of abortions amongst teens, while many states that implemented parent consent saw a great decrease in teen abortion rates.

What the statistics fail to mention in most news articles is that the increase did not happen in teenagers ages 15 to 17; the increase happened in teenagers ages 18 and 19. Yes it’s still young, but unlike 15 year olds that just started high school they have more chance of a normal life after pregnancy, whatever their choice may be.

Well, we can all hope that this was a one year rise and that next year we will see a normal decrease in teen pregnancy and abortion rates. Although teens can be hard to deal with sometimes we need to have faith in them, I do, and I believe that this was a one year anomaly that will go back to normal very soon.

Anyone can be stressed after such a situation for weeks and even months, but PTSD is different. People with PTSD have a highly intense feeling of fear and in some cases paranoia which lasts for more than a month, sometimes years. In most cases PTSD appears immediately after the trauma, but in some cases it can be delayed and show up after some time. If you are not sure if your teenager has a PTSD after witnessing something terrible here are the symptoms:

-    They go through the traumatic experience over and over again, reliving the same situation. Nightmares, flashbacks or horrifying mental images are most common in people with PTSD.
-    People with PTSD try to avoid anything that reminds them of the unfortunate event. So in some cases PTSD goes that deep that people will try to avoid certain people, places, activities and everything that reminds them of the event.
-    Some may experience emotional numbness or in other words, they may stop caring about things and people they cared for before the event.
-    They can be jumpy to put it simple; they can be easily startled, always on edge, tense and nervous all the time. High level of stress can do that to a person; also some may have trouble sleeping.

    PTSD can affect anyone, from little kids, teens and adults to senior citizens, it doesn’t choose. PTSD will not go on its own, so treatment is necessary. It can last for months, years, go away and then come back again, so treatment and support is necessary.

The best bet is to go to a professional therapist that specializes in dealing with anxiety issues and PTSD. Most forms of therapy with a patient suffering from PTSD involve talking in a safe environment and learning to cope with fear, anxiety and panic. In some cases medications are used to help people sleep, reduce anxiety and depression.

Healing from a PTSD is a long process, a person that once get’s PTSD cannot simply let go of those fears and they remain with him forever. But with treatment and support people can learn to cope with the situation and fear they carry with them. This is a more delicate situation when it comes to children, as they need treatment and attention immediately or they can be scared for life. So if you child suffers any of those symptoms after witnessing something bad be sure to take your child to a therapist immediately.

Except trying to provide a good future for your child and making sure he has a good education and love from you as a parent, there are several things more that you need to do to provide the secure feeling for your child. The first thing is one that most single parents think of last, take care of yourself. If you do not look after yourself you will not be able to maintain a healthy relationship with your child.
Once you have that covered you will notice much less problems with your child, but you still have a long road ahead of you. Try building a network of friends around you, other single parents and such.

You need to make sure your child understands you and that you understand your child. He will be insecure as most children of single parents are, so reassure him that he is special and show him that you love him in both words and deeds.

The best way to make sure that you are raising your child properly is setting a good example. Remember, children look up to parents and if we do something they are likely to repeat it. In fact it’s much easier for a single parent to take care of this aspect as there are no two role models for the child, so if you set a good example you can be sure that your child will follow.

At some point you will have to involve your child into decision making around the house. Don’t be afraid to do that as it will help your child and his confidence, he we feel more appreciated when he is involved.

A most common mistake single parents make is to spoil and overindulge their children. That is very easy to do when you are a single parent, but it will not benefit your child in any way. The children that are spoiled and overindulged often turn to be self-centered, narcissistic, have lack of motivation, and have self-control problems.

There are plenty of things to cover on this subject, but the most important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as a perfect parent. We all make mistakes, but being a parent means we have to acknowledge our mistakes and deal with them maturely and with responsibility, and most of all to learn from them. This way we can overcome the issues that show up along the way and deal with them, showing our children the power of strength and character that comes from love.
 

The first thing that you need to do is figure out what drives your child, what motivates him, when you find that out you can easily inspire them to do great things. So the first thing you should do is get to know your child better, talking to them always helps. The moment you do realize their motives be sure to praise them and support them in their dreams and wishes, which will make a teen fly to the roof, although sometimes just for a few minutes, but in some cases it can be permanent.

A great way to inspire a teen is to believe in him. When a child sees that the parent trusts him that boosts his self confidence and that does wonders for the teen inspiration. Also, be sure to encourage your teen’s creativity, getting excited about something is the greatest form of inspiration.

You have to understand that one thing that surely destroys teen inspiration is a parent making an impossible goal for their child. Don’t be a perfectionist; don’t push your child too hard. A child is a child and it should be allowed to feel like one. A 15 year old kid that has to study for hours and hours and then do other important activities of your choosing doesn’t have a childhood and can hardly be inspired to do something on its own. A child like that will have one inspiration only, and that is to satisfy your needs because of some morbid strictness you nurture towards your child and his future. That is not a child; that is a zombie.

Sometimes letting go and allowing your child a bit more freedom is what will make the world go around for them. They have to be allowed freedom to be able to express themselves and show creativity. If you tell them what to do their entire life they will never be able to stand alone on their own two feet and they will never be inspired to do so in the first place.

In the end you as a parent have the responsibility towards your child and his future, by creating a healthy environment for your child’s development and so called brain activity your child will be on its way to a better future thinking with his own head. In the end that is what we all want for our kids, to show independence together with responsibility, the best combination in the world.