The onus of mitigating the potential harms of social media should not be placed solely on the shoulders of parents and caregivers, but here are 7 steps they can take to help protect and support children and adolescents against the risk of harm.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory and the Department of Health and Human Services, up to 95% of youth ages 13-17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.” While there is evidence that shows that social media does have benefits, there are also indicators that it can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of our kids.

Friendship is the building block on which our children’s social skills are built and the space where kids begin to understand who they are. As parents and caregivers, we can encourage our kids to choose their friends wisely by having regular conversations around questions like these:

Involving our teens in conversations about internet safety is key to understanding the challenges and opportunities they experience online. TikTok took a positive step by committing to working in partnership with parents and caregivers as they support their kid's digital journey. As part of that effort, TikTok polled teens on what support they valued as it relates to online safety. Here's what the kids said:

Smartphones have become a constant companion in our teens' lives. From connection with family and friends to entertainment and background noise, young people rely on their smartphones for different types of mental health support, relaxation, and distraction—at home and at school, and during the day and night.

90% of addictions start in the high school years. Additionally, 1 in 4 who began using substances before age 18 have an addiction, compared to 1 in 25 who began at age 21 or older.

Here are a few strategies that can be beneficial for improving study habits and decreasing stress

If your child has been asking questions about violent conflicts and things they've seen, or you simply want to get ahead of other information sources they may run into, these tips can help ground them and reduce their anxiety.

On the surface, the fear of missing out (FOMO), promises that we will maximize our lives, our fun, our happiness, our coolness because we won’t miss anything—and therefore won’t miss the best.

If you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, coach, teacher etc., check out this sampling of slang words below,

...brought to you by Tristan Clinton, a former Teen Esteem

Junior Ambassador during his sophomore year at DVC.

Parents can be the most influential voice in a child’s life. Here are 6 practical ways that you can be effective as a parent. Click here to get started.

While it's true that many people are most joyful during the holiday season, there are countless others who struggle to find any joy in it at all. In fact, for many people, this time of year is devastating and debilitating. For some, this season is a reminder of better days.

No matter where your day takes you, when you walk in that door every night, you are a superhero. You are the strongest, smartest, most noble man on Earth! You can solve any problem, see through any situation; you can make anything better.

We all want that picturesque relationship with our children, but it isn’t always as easy as it may seem. Tween and teen girls are in a unique stage in their life when, as a parent, being close to them may at times be especially difficult, while at the same time it is absolutely vital to her well-being.

The “do as I say and not as I do” approach does not work well when it comes to teen driving. If you want your teen to stop at stop signs, obey the speed laws, stay off their cell phones while driving and not participate in road rage - then neither should you. Your behavior will be far more influential than the techniques you teach.

It's called the "X-Plan"...and it's genius.

As parents, we send our teenagers out into a world full of temptations and uncertainty hoping that they will return home safe to us. They are exposed to all sorts of danger, but we hope that we have taught them to resist the offers and make good decisions. Even when their good conscience kicks in and they feel uncomfortable in situations, they may not be able to resist the social pressures in fear of being ridiculed.

Parenting is hard, and there is no formula that ensures any child’s path. There may be times when you’re having serious problems with your teen and nothing seems to be working. You can quickly grow weary living in constant conflict and turmoil, when it seems that everything you do only adds fuel to the fire

Conversation between parents and kids has proven to have a lifelong impact. Use these questions to get your kids to think critically, teach a growth mindset and strengthen the relationship you have with them. Whether it’s over the dinner table or in the car, start asking your kids thought-provoking questions that will result in a meaningful conversation.

Today's fast-paced, pressured-filled culture can often leave little time to nurture the relationship between you and your child. Here are a few suggestions to strengthen that unique bond