Teen Pregnancy: Risk Factors and Intervention

We like to think of our society as progressive and capable of solving our social ills one problem at a time, but the fact of the matter is that, among industrialized nations, the U.S. leads the way in teen pregnancy.  Currently, 4 out of every 10 girls in the U.S. will become pregnant by their 20th birthday.

What Causes Teen Pregnancy
Aside from the obvious answer of engaging in sex, the factors that contribute to a teen being at-risk for teenage pregnancy can become very complex.  Some of the risk factors include:
* Living in poverty.
* Being the child of a single parent, or being the child of teen parents.
* Being reared in an abusive environment.
* Involvement in drug and alcohol use and abuse.
* Having low self-esteem.
* Poor performance in school.
* Being in multiple foster care homes.
* Ongoing family conflict.
* Lack of parental supervision.

Approaches to Intervention

There have basically been three strategies for bringing down the numbers associated with teen pregnancy since they reached an all-time high in the ‘90’s:
* Abstinence-only educational programs.  The Institute of Medicine reports that of 13 studies done evaluating abstinence-only educational programs, none have had a..........read more

The Collision Between the Teenager and Mid-Life Parents

There are many parents that are, at least, in their late 20’s or early 30’s when they begin having children.  And there is an ever-increasing societal trend to wait even later to start a family.  This puts parents square in the middle of life when their children become preteens and teenagers.  Although more studies are being done, it’s safe to say that part of the problem that parents have in dealing with their teens is, to some extent, exacerbated by their own battle with middle age.

During this period, adolescents are exploring a seemingly limitless future, while, simultaneously, parents in mid-life are feeling the constraints of life.  While your child is searching for freedom, you are busy bearing the brunt of parental, financial, and other responsibilities to the best of your ability.

Mid-Life Crisis?
The stereotypical mid-life crisis actually happens to a small minority of adults.  The fact is that most parents do not quit their jobs or leave their spouses just because they hit age 40 or 50.  But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some serious introspection going on.   This is the time when adults begin.......read more

Cutest Halloween Costumes of 2011

Babies in costumes: cute. Babies in creative "I bet you've never thought of these" getups: even better. That's why we're compiling all the best, most OMG adorable pictures of kids dressed up for Halloween right here on HuffPost Parents.

If you’re still looking for the perfect disguise for your little ones, just start clicking. We've got a chef and an Elvis. Baby strongman and baby gnome. Also... a baby Donald. The Donald. Click through for inspiration and vote for..... read more

Ideas for Saving Money on Gas

The current economic climate calls for stretching the budget and pinching pennies whenever and wherever possible.  With gasoline prices skyrocketing, it makes sense to put cutting fuel costs high on the priority list.  Here are a few tips to give you a good start in getting the most out of the money you spend on gasoline:

·         Plan errands around other necessary trips like taking the kids to school or going to work.  You will save a bundle if you stop by the grocery store, dry cleaners, bank or drug store on your way to or from other necessary driving trips.

·         Carpool.  Chances are there are people in your circle who live and work in the same area as you. Taking turns driving or sharing fuel costs means savings for everyone involved.

·         Keep your car maintained.  Oil changes, filter changes and other recommended maintenance will make your car run better, last longer and allow for better gas mileage.

·         Use a credit card that offers gas rebates.  Many cards give you as much as 5% back on gas purchases.  While it doesn’t seem like much, it adds up over the course of a year.

·         Keep your tires properly inflated.  Maintaining correct tire pressure will give you better gas mileage, as well as extending the life of your tires.

·         Roll the windows down when you are going slow, but keep them up when you are on the freeway.  Rolled down windows create excessive drag on your vehicle when you are going fast, so only roll your windows down when you are doing start and stop driving in the city.

·         Use low octane fuel.  This alone could potentially save hundreds of dollars every year.  Unless you own a car that specifically calls for higher octane fuel, you are wasting your money by buying it.  Stick with the lesser expensive gasoline and save your money.

·         Keep extra weight out of the trunk.  The heavier your vehicle is, the more fuel it takes to operate.  Store your stuff in your garage, not in your trunk.

·         Utilize your GPS system.  It will keep you from making wrong turns and getting lost.

·         Keep a steady speed.  Braking and accelerating takes more fuel than simple driving at a steady speed. 

Tough times call for creative ways to save money.  By implementing some extra planning and using common sense, you can combat soaring fuel prices.

What Families Can Learn from the Recession

While undoubtedly hard to weather, the current economic climate offers a host of opportunity for parents and kids, alike, to learn valuable lessons.

• Saving.  Nothing teaches about money like not having any and an economic downturn reinforces the fact that things don't always go as planned.  Families that experience economic hardship have the experience to plan for another one should it come.  Saving 10% is a great start to building up some reserve resources.
• Taking care of what you have.  In a comsumerist society, there is not a lot of emphasis placed on preserving possessions.  Why?  Because you just go out and buy another one.  A recession automatically helps people shift their perspective concerning materialism and it helps them learn to value their things more.  Things that are valued are taken cared of, cleaned, repaired, and maintained.
• Delayed Gratification.  Today, people want stuff and they want it now!  Even though we have plenty of drive-thru this or that to get you want on demand, life isn't really like that.  A recession can teach people that they don't have to have the latest and greatest right now and that some things are worth waiting for. 

History indicates that many alive today will go through at least one more major recession in their lifetime.  With this in mind, it pays to capitalize as much as possible on bad circumstances by learning some truly valuable life lessons.

How Childhood Sibling Relationships Can Affect Adult Behavior

How much influence do childhood brother/sister relationships have on our adult life? It seems that much of our adult emotional and social influence can largely be attributed to the quality of our sibling relationships early on. While parents teach us the proper way to perform socially, siblings teach us how to get along with friends and peers. A parent's responsibility consists of teaching children principles and skills relating to manners, respect for authority and acting appropriately in public. A sibling, however, acts more like a mentor in the realm of socialization.

Is Sibling Influence Good or Bad?

Studies show that younger children that have a good relationship with their positively motivated siblings are more apt to experience a productive adulthood. But what about those siblings who smoke, drink and engage in other delinquent behavior? The younger child will likely pick up on that behavior and will be more inclined to...........read more

Zucchini Gruyere Casserole

This fantastic side dish is easy to make, rich and cheesy, and chock full of nutritious zucchini.

Ingredients:

1 package of crescent rolls

2 or 3 sliced or diced zucchini
1/2 a medium onion, diced
 1/2 pound gruyere or swiss cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon or so minced garlic
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (other types of bread crumbs would work too)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by sautéing onion and zucchini in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat - about 10 minutes. While veggies are sautéing, open a can of crescent rolls and remove dough. Press into lightly greased casserole dish. Make sure you press out all perforations and spread dough up the sides of the casserole dish. Remove veggies from heat. In a food processor, grate gruyere cheese. You can also do this by hand, but the food processor is much faster. Mix gruyere with beaten egg and add it to slightly cooled zucchini mixture. Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over crescent roll dough in casserole dish. Mix panko bread crumbs with a little olive oil and sprinkle top of casserole. Bake for about 30 minutes.