Mental Health is a critical component of overall well-being, and parents play an essential role in supporting their children's mental health. As a parent, it's essential to be aware of mental health issues and to know how to support your child's emotional well-being. In this blog, we'll discuss some key points about mental health awareness for parents. Understand the signs and symptoms of mental health issues It's crucial for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in children. These may include changes in behavior, mood, and sleep patterns, as well as a lack ..read more

Given that teenagers are reported to be coping with a lot of confusion during their teenage years and are more prone to make hasty decisions based on their prevailing emotions rather than reasoning, having a strong and trustworthy parent-child relationship throughout this period is of the utmost importance. Therefore, having open lines of communication with your adolescent can make you both feel better and more connected to one another as well as more comfortable having challenging conversations and resolving conflicts. One out of every ten youth report not having a trusted adult in their liv ..read more

Check out this interview with our partner, New River Valley Community Services (NRVCS). This episode of Dissect and Connect, NRVCS’ community podcast, features ARP’s Josh Diamond, Katie Mitchell, and Katie Forsyth, where they provide an overview of ARP’s work in southwest Virginia, and discuss meeting the sexual health challenges young people face today.   ..read more

Young people's stress doesn't always appear the same as stress in adults. But just like adults, children, and teenagers—even those who have had tragedies that have changed their lives—can learn appropriate coping mechanisms. Young people can learn to recognize the symptoms of excessive stress and, with the correct tools, manage it with the help of their parents or other caregivers. Stress-causing factors for young children Young children frequently experience stress from conflict at home. For instance, family strife, divorce, or loss may cause children distress. Even positive transitions, li ..read more

The culture of today's society is image-driven and emphasizes unrealistic standards of beauty for people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds. These norms not only negatively affect adults, but they also have serious effects on adolescents and children. The concept of body positivity holds that everyone should be content with and proud of their body, regardless of its shape or size. However, if body positivity continues to prioritize physical appearance over appreciation, functioning, and inherent dignity of the body, it may become toxic. Even when we emphasize the importance of embracing pe ..read more

Adolescence can be a time when your kids stop talking to you as much as they used to. Hiding out in their rooms, giving one-word answers, never offering any information… these behaviors are not unusual for this age group. However, adolescence is also a time when parent-teen communication is extremely important. Teenagers are on the cusp of adulthood and independence, and your guidance and advice are integral to their health and safety, especially when it comes to pornography. Talking to your kids about pornography can be tricky, awkward, panic-inducing, and downright scary, but it doesn’t have ..read more

Raising teens comes with many challenges, and it’s not uncommon for parents to think “teens these days” are so much worse than teens a generation ago. And, that might not be totally inaccurate – today’s adolescents probably aren’t “bad kids” as much as they face more and different pressures than their parents did. Social media, the wild west of the internet, and dangerous drugs like fentanyl were not things our generation had to deal with, but our kids face these pressures regularly.  Our team at SexEdVA teaches sexual health programming in middle schools, and in one of the lessons, stude ..read more

A common type of peer pressure teens face is the pressure to drink alcohol. It’s easily accessible and a popular rite of passage, glamorized in the media and in social circles alike. However, we know that alcohol use is unsafe for teens and the adolescent brain. And as teens venture into the world of romance, dating, and parties, alcohol can become an ever bigger threat to health and safety. The longer young people can delay using alcohol, the less likely they are to develop problems with alcohol. Facts about teen drinking Even though the dangers of adolescent alcohol use have been vigorously ..read more

A couple sits in the grass at a park The concept of affirmative consent has its roots at a small college in Ohio. In 1990, a group of students, concerned about the frequency of sexual assault on campus, created a campaign that ultimately resulted in a document called Sexual Offense Prevention Policy. This policy clearly defined affirmative consent and became a model for future sexual consent policies and conversations. Many sexual health curricula position one romantic partner as the sexual aggressor and the other partner as the victim of ongoing sexual pressure. While this scenario is all to ..read more

By Sam Blanchard • July 12, 2021 This article was originally printed on Learning For Justice and has been copied to a post here. A teacher leans over to support two students as they work. In the fall, many schools will continue to operate with some distance learning options by offering hybrid or virtual learning as well as in-person learning. At the same time, in 2021, more anti-LGBTQ bills—specifically anti-trans bills—have been introduced and laws passed than in any other year on record. Hate speech and anti-LGBTQ conversations may end up in our classrooms, schools, homes and communities in ..read more