Free parenting resources to welcome you to the HomeWord family! http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php Some teens are growing tired of the excessive sharing and “drama” on Facebook and more are turning to sites like Twitter and Instagram to express themselves, according to a new study. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1646 Many parents are not aware that their teenage children abuse "study drugs," a new poll suggests. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1644 A large, new study helps explain why so many teens and young adults are involved in motor accidents: They're sleepy. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1645 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1643 New research indicates that girls whose fathers were absent during their early childhood are more likely to become depressed in their teen years. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1642 Long lasting fatigue in teens may indicate depression or anxiety disorders, according to a new study. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1641 More than 4 in 10 teens admit to texting while driving, and those that do are more likely to engage in other risks while driving. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1640 Adults who say they bullied others when they were adolescents may have a higher likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior later in life, according to new research from UT Dallas. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1639 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1638 Texting while driving has become a greater hazard than drinking and driving among teenagers who openly acknowledge sending and reading text messages while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1637 Despite knowing the risk of serious injury from playing football with a concussion, half of high school football players would continue to play if they had a headache stemming from an injury sustained on the field. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1636 Seventy-three percent of parents report mostly positive relationships with children ages 18 to 29. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1635 According to a new study, about 43 percent high-school students taking part in a survey have said that they have texted while driving in the past month. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1634 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1633 All major social sites see more usage among moms compared with the general population. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1631 A new study shows that there is a growing gap for today’s young adults between materialism and the desire to work hard. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1632 Many college grads lack interview skills. They take calls, text and sometimes bring their parents or pets to interviews. HR execs blame a coddled generation weaned on smartphones and social media. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1630 Nearly a quarter of teens — 23% — admit to driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs used illegally at some point, a new survey finds. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1629 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1628 According to a new study conducted by Visa, the average family is planning to spend $1,139 for prom in 2013, an increase of 5% from last year. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1627 Apparently, people love Snapchat, the messaging service with pics that disappear moments after you’ve receive them. According to co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, people are sending about 150 million photos a day. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1626 Published online in the journal Pediatrics, doctors advise teens not to take the "cinnamon challenge," a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos, but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to the U.S. poison centers. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1624 The 24th Annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) finds that one in four teens has misused or abused a prescription (Rx) drug at least once in their lifetime – a 33 percent increase over the past five years. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1625 Is buying a home becoming the new engagement ring? http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1623 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1622 A new analysis of federal data estimates that just 32% of underage drinking deaths are traffic-related. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1621 A new Nielsen report analyzes media habits of 12- to 34-year-olds and finds that those in the 12 to 17 age range spend 18% more time watching video on a mobile phone than 18- to 24-year-olds, and a huge 46% more than those 25- to 34-year-olds. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1620 A new study finds that high use of social media among college students was associated with lower grade point averages and other negative outcomes. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1619 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1618 A new report captures a snapshot of Americans' media usage. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1616 The results of Piper Jaffray's 25th bi-annual teen survey showed Apple to be the most desired brand among American teenagers who care about things like smartphones and tablets. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1617 The proliferation of media-able devices in our households (PCs, smartphones, tablets) is leading to a division of our attention when it comes to traditional television viewing and programming. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1615 A new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that increasing the hours of sleep adolescents get each night may reduce the prevalence of adolescent obesity. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1614 More than 18 percent of all babies born to teenagers in the U.S. are baby No. 2 or 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1612 Risky rider behavior and passenger fatalities have lessened, but texting and speeding remain deadly habits, a new report says. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1613 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1610 Americans are increasingly living together before marriage, and more women who cohabit are having children than in years past, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1611 According to a new study from the American Heart Association (AHA), a whopping 80 percent of American teenagers are eating foods that will make them prime candidates for heart disease. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1606 According to a new study, teens who had trouble connecting well with their peers in early adolescence had difficulty establishing close friendships in young adulthood. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1605 New study finds parent-child discussion influences how students handle alcohol choices and peer pressure. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1604 The notion that the youngest adolescents – ages 10 to 12 – are more sexually active today than in the past is greatly exaggerated, says a new report in the journal Pediatrics. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1603 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1602 Students who date in middle school have significantly worse study skills, are four times more likely to drop out of school and report twice as much alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use than their single classmates, according to new research. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1598 New research suggests that kids who grow up in violent households are more likely to engage in dating violence during their teenage years. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1599 New research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health shows the more frequently families eat dinner together, the better the adolescents fare emotionally. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1600 According to new data released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 19.7 million new venereal infections in the United States in 2008, bringing the total number of existing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the U.S. at that time to 110,197,000. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1601 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1597 A new report from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project finds that smartphone adoption among American teens has increased substantially and mobile access to the internet is pervasive. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1607 New research has found that people whose parents had divorced when they were children were at a significantly increased risk of initiating smoking. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1608 A rash of deadly auto wrecks highlights the pivotal role of parenting in the treacherous maze that is learning to drive. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1609 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1596 Adolescents who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have stable and satisfying relationships in their early adult marriages as well as romantic relationships. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1594 Brands like Victoria's Secret, Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters, and Justice are cashing in on the growing demand among middle school and high school girls for intimate apparel. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1595 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1593 An infographic examines the dualistic phenomenon of how teens rule the web, but they’re not always as careful with it as they should be. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1592 A new study has found that the children of religious couples are much more likely to leave the religion if their parents get divorced. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1591 A new study, published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, finds that teen boys were almost twice as likely as teen girls to have forwarded a received sext. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1590 For teens with learning disabilities, more positive relationships with significant adults in their lives can improve their social and emotional lives, according to a new study. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1589 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1587 Parents who talk to their kids about their own, past drug use may not be helping their kids to avoid drugs. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1588 Infographic looks at how unprepared teenagers are for college. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1585 Fatalities jumped 19% in the first half of 2012 compared with the first half of 2011. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1586 A new analysis of data shows that the teen birth rate in rural counties is nearly one-third higher than the rest of the nation. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1584 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1583 Teens in relationships may be susceptible to being digitally abused by their boyfriends or girlfriends, according to a new study by the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1582 In a new study, parents of teenage daughters were asked what forms of contraception they were most comfortable with doctors providing. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1581 According to a new study, teenagers who believe people can’t change react more aggressively to peer conflicts than those who think people can change. And teaching them that people have the potential to change can reduce these aggressive reactions. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1579 Synthetic cannabinoids are not safe alternatives to marijuana, according to a new report. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1580 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1578 Helicopter parents who still run their university-aged children's schedules, laundry and vacations could be doing more harm than good with a new study showing these students were more likely to be depressed and dissatisfied with life. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1577 A study from Johns Hopkins University found that just 18 brands take up 50% of the market for teen drinkers, raising questions about the brand advertising that reaches kids and teens. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1576 The number of U.S. babies born to teen mothers dropped to record lows in 2011, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1575 Stress levels for Americans have taken a decidedly downward turn across the USA — except for young adults, whose stress is higher than the national norm, says a newly released survey. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1574 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1573 Have you heard of a "Catfish"? In the age of online relationships, it will matter to your kids that both you and they know about the Catfish phenomenon. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1572 A new study finds that teens who drink alcohol to excess are much more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1570 Teens who share their secrets in confidence with parents and friends have fewer headaches and depressed moods and are more confident in social situations than others who keep secrets to themselves, according to a new study. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1571 A study published in the journal Pediatrics in Review says that the $5 billion energy drink industry markets directly to adolescents and that high caffeine consumption is associated with a variety of teen health issues — like insomnia, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, and digestive problems. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1569 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1568 Best friends might play the biggest role in influencing when teens have their first sip of alcohol, new research shows. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1567 A new study finds that seventh-graders who are exposed to alcohol - and who say they like the ads - may experience more severe problems related to drinking alcohol later in their adolescence. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1566 Pornography has quickly appeared on the newly-launched six-second video clip app, Vine (associated with Twitter). http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1564 A technology-driven teaching method known as "flipped learning" is catching on in schools across the nation as a younger, more tech-savvy generation of teachers is moving into classrooms. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1565 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1562 Researchers have found a link between adolescent social isolation and increased vulnerability to addiction to both alcohol and amphetamines. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1563 New laboratory research on rodents suggests an elevated stress hormone in adolescence may be linked to severe mental illness in adulthood. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1561 Cisco interviewed college students and young professionals to see exactly what social media, mobile devices and the Internet mean to them and found a dramatic shift in workplace priorities. In short, social media access on the job is as important as salary for millennials. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1560 A growing body of evidence suggests that today’s young adults are drowning in credit-card debt — and that many of them will take this debt to their graves. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1559 A study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science finds that exercise has positive effects that go far beyond physical changes in teens, as it does with people of all ages. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1557 A listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1558 Kids raised in happy, intact marriages are twice as likely to worship later in life than children whose parents divorce amicably. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1556 This inforgraphic from OnlineClasses.org displays benefits that come with a regularly scheduled family dinner. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1555 In a new study of teen girls who had a history of abuse or neglect, researchers found a link to increased risk behaviors both online and offline. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1554 Facebook is starting to show its age, according to a recent survey of younger social media users. The shocker? Tumblr was the most popular network, beating out not only Facebook, but also its newly acquired image-sharing site, Instagram. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1552 A new study finds that the more money that parents provide for higher education, the lower the grades their children earn. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1553 A weekly listing of hot cultural items from the the Internet, music, television and movies. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1551 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds binge drinking common among adult women and high school girls. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1550 Most adolescents who plan or attempt suicide have already received at least some mental health treatment, raising questions about the effectiveness of current approaches to helping troubled youths, according to the largest in-depth analysis to date of suicidal behaviors in American teenagers. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1549 Younger generations are most likely to see their mobile phone as tied into their identity. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1548 Young people's unprecedented level of self-infatuation was revealed in a new analysis of the American Freshman Survey, which has been asking students to rate themselves compared to their peers since 1966. http://www.homeword.com/blog_info.php?articles_id=1547