Blog Category

Raising Teens

eCigs – Know the Facts

Myth:  E-cigarettes contain "only harmless water vapor" Fact:  Studies are finding that unregulated electronic cigarettes,  or e-cigs, may not be as harmless for you after all and they may even cause lung cancer like normal cigarettes. E-cigs use a battery-powered...

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Secrets of the Teenage Brain

Keys to teen brain development to be discussed Thursday at event By Susan Parmelee Over the past decade, scientists have discovered that both the volume of gray matter and number of neural connections increase in the years from 15 through 25. It is not until this time...

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Your Teen is Motivated

Your Teen is Motivated Many parents tell me their adolescent is not motivated. My usual response is that teens are very motivated, but only when they believe it is benefitting them. How we use this developmental stage to benefit everyone is an art form that is not...

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Voluntary Drug Testing Program

SCHS Vol Drug testing Dowload I encourage you to sign up for the voluntary drug testing program (the red flyer).  Your teen may suggest otherwise and may even ask “don’t you trust me?”  but, as parents, we know it’s not about trust.  It’s about giving our child a...

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Prevention Starts at Home

While most San Clemente youth make the choice to not use alcohol or illegal substances, there is problematic substance use among youth and adults in San Clemente. Of course, the substance abuse epidemic is not unique to San Clemente but we should all be aware that our...

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Good Samaritan Law

If your child  goes to a party where alcohol and drugs are being used and one of their friends begins to seizure or show other signs of distress, what would your child do? What would you want them to do?” Because drug and alcohol overdoses are devastating California’s...

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Is my teen depressed?

Dear Parents and Community Members, If you have any questions or concerns please email or call me – 949-680-0516 About 5% of children and adolescents suffer from depression at any given point in time. “The behavior of depressed children and teenagers may differ from...

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Parenting Teens: 5 Ineffective Things to Avoid Doing

Dear Parents and Community Members, Since it was Spring Break week – I thought I too would take a vacation and let someone else write this week’s email. I believe in all of the parenting tips below and use them when I teach parenting groups. Parenting Teens: 5...

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Discussing Marijuana Use – keep the dialogue open

Dear Parents and Community Members, Most important tool against addiction is you. Please keep talking to your kids. Two resources below give tips for communicating with your kids at various ages. Most experts agree that discussing your own experimentation or use is...

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Know what is on your kid’s phone

Dear San Clemente High School Community, Please take some time to discuss the pros and cons of anonymity with a teen this weekend. Tonight might be even better – many of our students are not too happy with how an anonymous post locked them in a classroom for several...

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