Resources for Parents

Tips for raising healthy kids
Warning signs (suicide)
Warning signs (bullying)
Operation Youth Alerts
You and Your Child’s Rights
Helpful Links

Tips for Raising Healthy Kids

Family Life: Providing a high level of love and support for your children. Create positive communication that is geared toward seeking advice and counsel from parents, giving them a place they feel comfortable in.

Parental School Involvment: Become actively involved in helping them succeed in school. Get to know their teachers!

Saftey: Your child should feel safe at home, school, and in their neighborhood. Always know where they are!

Conflict Resolution: Learned at home first of course, kids need to be taught how to resolve conflict nonviolently.

Boundaries and Expectations: Kids need to be encouraged to aim high and do their best at home and in school. They need clear rules and consequences for both.

Role Models: Two or more positive adults offering love and support, when they feel a need to talk to someone else.

Spiritual Life: Kids need to attend a church youth group they can get excited about. Geared toward their generation with music they enjoy at least two times a week.

Youth Programs: They should spend three or more hours per week in sports, activities at school, or in the community.

More Time at Home: Young person spends only one night per week out with friends "with nothing special to do."

Use of Free Time: They should spend three or more hours per week in something they like to do. Music, theater, or something creative so they are able to see their accomplishment.

Community: Teach them their value in the community and give them useful roles serving others one or more hours a week.

Reading for Pleasure: At least two or more hours per week.

Integrity: Teach them to stand up for their beliefs, convinced that God has great purpose for their life. Explain to them that negative peer pressure like drugs, alcohol, gangs, and sex before marriage undermines who they really are. Give them understanding that they have control over most of the things that happen to them and reward good decisions with praise.

Teach Them Who Their Peers Are: True peers wouldn't pressure them to do this or that. They are too busy encouraging them to stay on the right track. Get to know their friends!

Honesty: Teach them to tell the truth even when it is not easy, and to take personal responsibility for their actions.

Planning and Decision Making: Teach your child how to plan ahead and make choices. Show them their value and get them optimistic about their personal future. Be sure they are shown the importance of having empathy, sensitivity, and other social skills necessary for meaningful relationships.

Restraint: Sexually active teens now have a 51% chance of getting a sexually transmitted disease and most cases do not require intercourse. The Human Papilloma Virus does not require intercourse, genital contact is all that is needed to spread this cancer causing disease. No sex until marriage!

Cultural: Kids need to have knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural and racial backgrounds.
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Warning signs (suicide)

The following are some of the signs that may indicate someone is thinking about suicide

Giving away prized possessions
Preoccupied with subjects related to death
A loss in activities and desires
Withdrawing from family and friends
Hinting of not being around in the future or saying good-bye
Loss of interest in job/school
Doesn’t respond the same to praise
Neglects hygiene
Hard time concentrating
Increase in alcohol or drug abuse
A marked change in personality, eating, and sleeping
Dramatic weight fluctuations, in any direction

These warning signs are especially important in light of the following:

A recent suicide or death of friends, family members, or pets
A fresh romantic break-up or conflict with parent and/or close friends
Of course, all forms of mistreatment, especially mental, physical, or sexual which might require special attention
A cut-off of communications with family members or friends leaving no one close to talk to.
News reports of other suicides by young people in the same school or community

It is very important to let them know you are there for them and that the pain they are going through is real. Allow them to express their feelings and acknowledge the fact that you care about what they are going through. Ask them if they are thinking about suicide and get them help.
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Warning signs (bullying)

Bullying is the number one cause of teen suicide. Here are some of the warning signs that your child is being bullied

Comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings
Has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches
Has few, if any, friends with whom he or she spends time with
Seems afraid of going to school (walking to and from school, riding the school bus) or taking part in organized activities with peers
Takes long “illogical” routes when walking to or from school
Has lost interest in school work or suddenly begins to do poorly in school
Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home
Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or other physical ailments
Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
Experiences a loss of appetite
Appears anxious and suffers from low self-esteem

BULLYING: 9 out of 10 kinds don’t tell, so it is very important that you talk about this subject.

StopBullying.Com

StopBullying.Com

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Operation Youth Alerts

Operation Youth Alerts are a vital part of our ministry. These alerts are sent via email and are also posted on our website. They provide parents and children alike with essential tools and knowledge to prepare them for the trials they will face in this world. Expect updates about new drugs introduced in our school system, gang activity, prescription drug effects on teens (antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and ADD & ADHD), and many more subjects that will most likely effect your family. Please checkout the Operation Youth Alerts section of our website to sign up and view these alerts.
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You and Your Child’s Rights

In today’s society it is important to know your rights when it comes to dealing with your children or parent. There are often times when knowing your legal boundaries can make or break your circumstance. For instance, did you know one of our rights as Christians in the public school system states that we are to be given what’s called “equal access”? To find out more, click on the link bellow.

American Center for Law and Justice
1-800-296-4529
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Helpful Links

Having trouble finding exactly what you are looking for? Check out some of these links to find other great information related to raising your children and building a happy home.