During divorce kids cope much better when both parents have consistent rules and are actively involved in their lives.  See “Helping Adolescents Survive Divorce” under Interesting Articles.

The average child in the U S will view more than 200,000 violent acts in the media before age 18.  This can result in increased anxiety or desensitization to violence.

About 20% of U S teens engage in sexting.  Sending or receiving sexually explicit messages can result in criminal charges.  See “The Sexting Phenomenon” Under Interesting Articles.

All kids grieve differently.  Never force a child to attend a funeral.  Instead find a way to honor or remember the loss in some other way (scrapbook, photos, and stories).

Eating meals together as a family reduces a child’s risk for depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

School aged kids and teens need at least 10 hour of sleep per night.  Sleep deprivation leads to greater risk for depression and anxiety in adulthood.

Technology lighting on computers, TVs and cell phones can interfere with melatonin, a sleep promoting hormone.