Don’t Rely on Luck: Protect Your Teen’s Mental Health
Every day, whether through face-to-face interactions or podcast conversations, I have the privilege of speaking to hundreds, even thousands, of adults about the reason A Brighter Day Charity exists and the positive impact we are having on families. Our resources on stress and depression for teens and their families, with the ultimate goal of preventing […]
Valentine’s Day Blues: How Is Your Teen Coping?
February and Valentine’s Day usually represent a time of love and everything associated with love. Romance, flowers, jewelry, fine food, and chocolates – these are all good! For your teen, however, this could be a time of feeling isolated, unloved, alone, and just not wanted. Think about it. Your spouse and you are planning something […]
Is Thanksgiving Good For Your Teen’s Well-Being?
It’s a wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. It means lots of family around the dinner table. It means terrific food that we only eat once a year. It means different pies for an unlimited dessert. It means watching the NFL all day. And for teens, it means a long weekend of […]
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Don’t Become a Statistic!
I am called a “survivor.” My son, Jake, took his life at age 19 by jumping in front of an oncoming truck on a Montana Interstate. Absolutely horrible and our lives will never be the same. Was he on drugs or alcohol? No. Was he on anti-depressant medication? No. Did he share his feelings with […]
It’s Back to School For Your Teens. Are You Ready For Their Anxiety?
Has this felt like the shortest summer on record for your teen? School begins in just a few days almost everywhere. It was only a few years ago that school systems decided to move the starting date of high school from the day after Labor Day to late August, to now the 2nd week of August. […]
July 4th: Independence and Your Teen
Let me begin by wishing you a Happy July 4th, the day of the official signing of the Declaration of Independence when we went from a colony to a country. Millions of Americans have died since 1776 to allow all of us to keep our freedoms and liberties, the greatest experiment in democracy and capitalism […]
Is Your Teen’s Head on Straight as Schools Open for Fall?
All of us as parents are so grateful that our teens will finally be able to go back to school in a few weeks.This means that they may learn in the proper setting, spend time with their friends and do what teens need to be doing to develop and grow.So, this is a good time […]
“My Teen plays sports. No reason to worry now…”
I had always believed that if my children played competitive sports, then the endorphins would kick in and they would generally be happy and protected from feelings of depression. Most parents believe this. Boy was I wrong! My youngest son played on two ice hockey teams at college, went to the gym on a […]
Independence Day and Your Teen
Take a moment to step back and think: What were you doing on July 4th, 2020? In our family, I recall we were dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Our twins were living in separate states halfway across the country, the future of our economy was up in the air, and every day, it seemed […]
Father’s Day and Your Teen
This Sunday is Father’s Day. Let me begin by wishing all the dads a terrific day and hope you spend time with your family and friends. This Father’s Day weekend, I urge you to take the time to check in with your teens. Doctors at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek say they have […]
