A new national study of parents’ attitudes about teen drug abuse released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation shows strong increases in parents’ awareness of teen abuse of prescription medications.

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Survey on Teen Relationships

A new national survey reveals the attitudes and beliefs of teenagers on the important topic of sexual behavior. “Kiss and Tell: What Teens Say about Love, Trust, and Other Relationship Stuff” has been published by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Examples of the survey results include:

• 35 percent of teens say the parents have the strongest influence on how they act within their dating relationships.
• Only 4 percent of teens cited the media as the strongest influence.
• More than half of teenagers think parents should starting talking to their kids about sex when the kids are 13-years-old.
• Over three-fourths of teenagers admit that, yes, they enjoy spending time with their parents.
• Over 84 percent of teens say they have never felt pressure to be in a romantic relationship before they were ready.

Read the survey report

The differences between bullying and teasing can be subtle, but knowing those differences and how to deal with bullying are essential skills for youth-serving professionals. Learn the latest in IYI’s Issue Alert, “When Push Turns to Shove: How to Help Bullies and their Targets.” The Issue Alert also includes the latest information on cyberbullying.

Sponsored by Clarian Health, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Lilly Endowment, the Issue Alert is available here.

Girl Ambition is an empowering website for tween girls and their parents that promotes healthy self-esteem and Internet safety. Girl Ambition is a site for girls by girls. Started by three working moms, the site hopes to provide a safe, fun, positive, and inspirational environment for tween girls and
their parents. Girls can play games, participate in arts and crafts, take quizzes, email and chat with friends, and even raise a virtual pet. Parents can benefit from expert resources and advice on online safety, and how to stay hip to the trends that tween girls think are all the rage.

Find out more at www.girlambition.com.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has launched a new addition to its award-winning community outreach program, Meth360®, to help curb use of the highly addictive illicit drug methamphetamine in the Hispanic community.

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