Navigating Adolescence

As parents we may feel afraid - and at times powerless as our children move out from under our protective wing and begin to navigate the dangerous terrain of adolescence. Sex, drugs, violence, eating disorders, bullying, suicide, drinking and driving and the depths of the Internet.

Content Overview

It is clearly not enough to tell our teens over and over, that violence is not acceptable, and to advise them to report it, to just walk away…the two things that teens tell us they won't do! It is clearly not enough to say, don't do drugs, abstain from sex, stop bullying. We need to be able to teach our children how to negotiate these potentially life-altering moments -- How to say "No" and handle peer pressure, How to walk away without giving up their dignity. How to access the part of themselves that can make wise choices - even in the heat of the moment.

The focus of this presentation for parents will be the acquisition of concrete skills - skills to use and to pass on to our children. Skills which empower us as adults and also enable our youth to cope with the verbal, emotional and physical threats that they are exposed to every single day.