http://www.atriskhope.com/blog Help for parents of teenagers, disipline advice, hope for the parents of at-risk youth. Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:07:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I have been drug testing our students regularly since Hope Learning Academy's inception.  Like everything in the realm of at-risk youth intervention, my approach to drug testing has had to be flexible enough to change with the times.  For instance,  when we began drug testing we did not test for MDMA (Ecstasy), ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=34 Change can be a powerful force.  It can fill your pockets and buy your coffee (powerful in my book).  It can lead you to the presidency as your campaign slogan.  Change can be good or bad depending on where it is happening.  When it comes to parenting, change can be ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=33 I was listening to the Bill Handel show yesterday and was surprised at the way parents approach certain issues with their children.  On the show, Bill repsonded to a report on "Sexting" by basically saying that if his daughters are ever involved in the practice of sexting it would be "one time"... ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=32   InsaneIn*sane"\, a. [L. insanus. See In- not, and Sane.] 1. Exhibiting unsoundness or disorded of mind; not sane; mad; deranged in mind; delirious; distracted. See Insanity, 2. 2. Used by, or appropriated to, insane persons; as, an insane hospital. 3. Causing insanity or madness. [R.] 4. Characterized by insanity or the utmost folly; chimerical; unpractical; as, an ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=31 When we confront our strong-willed children about things they don't like you can almost always expect a torrential flood of emotion to come spewing from them, and if you are not careful, it is easy to get swept away!  Using the idea of the flash flood... How productive do you ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=30 …They see a get together with everyone who is anyone: a chance to expand social horizons. They see a do or die social gathering; those who aren’t there socially die, those who are there are magically accepted. Plus, it is their time to have fun. This is ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=29 When we want to build anything new, we have to make sure it is founded on sure footings.  For parents who may be trying to influence their strong-willed child to change positively, that sure footing is mandatory.  Without a sure footing, any work in your child's life, any change you ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=28 What is the world thinking???  What societal conditions lead to this? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,325508,00.html In Pennsylvania, the headlines are hitting on the salacious  fact that pornographic images have been spread to an unknown number of people.  Too many people to count  have the images; one depicting a teenage girl and boy engaging in sex, ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=27 The most common of abused illicit drugs Marijuana comes in many grades that are given street designations based on quality. For instance around here, your standard good street weed is called chronic and you low grade stuff is called slag or shwag. DETECTION: EYES: (Usually normal, Possibly slightly Dilated, Will look ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=26 I always teach the parents that I coach to make sure that they are using all their senses when it comes to monitoring whether their teenager is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. First and foremost, give your child a hug when they come in from a night ... http://www.atriskhope.com/blog/?p=25