E-Newsletters
Greetings! Welcome to Youth Service Bureau’s monthly e-newsletter, where we will feature blogs, articles and tips on relevant parenting and youth development topics!
At YSB, we take a team-focused approach to helping families identify the pieces needed to build a healthy family AND build strategies to fit it all together.
We encourage you to utilize these free, mobile-friendly, online resources wherever you go. And remember– you’re never alone in meeting the challenges of raising kids and teens.
A Substance Free Summer: tips for helping your teens
Summertime and the end of school often bring excitement, freedom, sun, and adventure. With freedom, often comes less adult supervision.
On an average summer day, about 11,000 youth will take their first drink of alcohol and 4,500 will smoke cigarettes for the first time. While youth should be encouraged to have fun during school break, you can help them avoid the negative effects of substance use by providing them with education and tools to make positive decisions.
Read how to set your youth up for success – along with how to navigate Season 2 of ’13 Reasons Why’ – now on Netflix!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Disorders (MD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUD)…
- are real
- are public health conditions
- affect anyone: regardless of age, race, IQ, religion, income
- often overlap
Approximately 80% of teens who struggle with a mental health disorder have turned to substance use as a way to manage their emotional pain.
This tells us – youth don’t typically abuse substances, or frequently get intoxicated, because their life is going ‘great.’ However, identifying which challenge came first – often resembles the ‘Chicken, or the Egg?’ paradox. So, how can you address these Co-Occuring Disorders?
This April (& Beyond) Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol
Underage substance use, whether it be marijuana, alcohol, or another drug can be a barrier to children leading healthy and fulfilled lives and transitionally successfully into adulthood.
April is National Alcohol Awareness month. The good news is that the rate of teen alcohol use has declined since the mid-1970s, however teens still drink alcohol more than they use any other substance. In fact, teen alcohol use kills 4,300 people each year – more than all illegal drugs combined. WHY?
Can Energy Drinks Lead to Stimulant Use?
YSB Chemical Prevention Specialists present in local schools – educating youth about setting limits and alternative strategies to drinking caffeine for ‘energy’.
There are potential benefits to drinking caffeine. It may boost memory or increase alertness. There are also potential negatives, especially in youth.
Caffeine may produce mild symptoms like restlessness, an increased heart rate, and insomnia. New research shows the relationship between heavy caffeine consumption from energy drinks in high school students and drug use.
Due to the developing adolescent brain and its reward-center, early caffeine use may prime the brain for later drug use.* The brain becomes used to the levels and begins to crave more of the stimulant, ultimately leading to higher dosage or other sources for a heightened effect.
For Prevention & Tips- Read More!
Social Media, Healthy Relationships AND Safety?
* They CAN Co-Exist! *
Social Media is a fast-past, dynamic environment for quick chats, long distance video calls, sending images, sharing fun videos and much more.
Quite often, however, these convenient apps can result in cyberbullying, sharing of innappropriate content, or even ‘just’ arguments over phone use.
Find resources, classes and support!
Internal Overload – Stress vs. Anxiety
Mood swings, defiance and sleepiness can accompany adolescent years. However, although many of these things are considered to be “normal”, too much of them may be more harmful than we think.
It is important to notice how these typically normal changes are effecting your child’s daily life. There may be something a little more than the typical developmental changes going on with your child.
From Classes to ANGST Screening & Panel Discussions to individualized support– YSB is here to help you understand and address these concerns.
A Year of Transformation, Growth and Giving!
Growing Gratitude
October is Bullying Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month
Chemical Health is a priority. Back to school Success. Parent Teacher Communication – Make it a win for all.
Diversion means Second Chance. YSB hires new Chemical Health Specialist.
Summer is finally here! We are just as excited as you to welcome the warm weather, sunshine and summer break.
On May 18th – we will celebrate 40 years of service and grow for the future!
YSB’s May Newsletter includes “13 things Parents should know about – 13 Reasons Why”, Summer Safety camps for kids, Full-time employment opportunities, and Pioneer Press’ article on the power of collaboration between YSB and Law Enforcement!
From E-cigs, Stimulants, Synthetic Drugs and more – the temptations and pressures which teens face expand and evolve.
The risk of developing a substance use disorder decreases with each year substance use is delayed during adolescence.
YSB strengthens teens’ abilities to make positive choices and informed decisions about their health.
We provide facts and practical strategies to start difficult conversations with your kids. YSB has expert staff to support you when needed.
Find out 10 Tips to Prevent Teen Chemical Use, facts on Marijuana and upcoming events including: Top Secret Project- Decoding the Mystery of the Teen Domain.
Anxiety: the most common mental health problem among kids and teens.
See our upcoming classes and events, read about the difference between Stress and Anxiety, 14 Tips to Support Your Teen’s Mental Health, and learn “Why do they Act That Way?!” in a Podcast from Dr. Dave Walsh!
Healthy Teen Relationships
Dating violence is more common than many people think. One in three teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults.
Learn how to help support Healthy Relationships in your teen’s life, and find out more about YSB’s expansion campaing- as we continue to pave the way for Better Choices and Brighter Futures in 2017!
Winter Driving Tips for Teens and Families
Our Minnesota Winter Wonderland can be fun and beautiful! But the snowy, icy roads that follow are certainly not!
And despite that busy, well constructed family calendar full of driving kids to school, appointments, practices and other outings… there WILL be days when challenging weather is bound to interfere.
With many teens as first time winter drivers… and many younger ones learning by watching parents from the backseat- now is a great time to teach – and model – safe winter driving!
YSB: Helping Families THRIVE Through the Holidays!
If you are a student in school, an extended vacation can feel like a MAGICAL time of the year!
But as many parents know, they are often also riddled with arguing siblings, even more messes around the house, busy travel plans and … the dreaded battle about appropriate limits of screen time.
So in this joyous but often hectic season, YSB endeavors to help you THRIVE- not just survive- the holidays!
YSB and Community Partners Build “Brighter Futures” Together!
Early intervention has the power to change lives, and for 40 years, YSB and our community partners continue to prove it!
We are proud and excited to partner with our local communities to provide expert resources to families navigating the rapids of raising kids and teens in today’s media-driven world!
Take a look at the lineup of FREE events in the next few weeks- where YSB staff will be presenting and available to answer questions on a variety of topics. We can’t wait to see you there!
Can’t make it to an event? Or need more personalized support? We’re only a call – or click- away, at ysb.net.
Building Kids Back Up in the Face of Bullying
Fear. Isolation. Embarrassment. Hurt.
Memories of intense emotions like these, and more, often come flooding back to adults as the young people in their lives face a new generation of bullies.
But often, the good intentions of adults telling a kid to “just ignore it”, or running out to fix it for them, doesn’t always have the meaningful effect intended.
That’s because, even though many of the feelings are the same, the game has changed. Bullies at school, in the community and online, make it nearly impossible to get a break from the stress and pain of the negative self-image some bullies work so hard to perpetuate. Feeling “trapped” and “desperate” become all too real outcomes.
NO ONE deserves to be bullied. And no one should have to face it alone.
We encourage you to utilize the free online resources below- and to SHARE these resources with others- to help build kids back up!
Restoring Hope and Strength: Together We Can Prevent Suicide
Fortunately, we are not the only voice. EVERYONE has a role to play in Suicide Prevention.
Myths vs. Facts: Identifying Perceptions around Underage Consumption
With Fall right around the corner, it is hard to avoid the increasing reminders of the immenent -back to school- transitions ahead.
For many youth, this season of change leads to many uncertainties about friendships, fitting in, finding their way in new schools, or moving off to college. As the stress of the unknown builds, or even pressure to make the most of what’s left of their “freedom,” now is a perfect time to revisit your own views on underage drinking- and share that view with your family.
Empowering Teens to Build Healthy Relationships in a Digital Age
In the age of Social Media, YSB strives to ensure youth and parents have access to the knowledge and tools needed to protect against those who would exploit vulnerable youth.
You may have read recent news articles, including those in the Woodbury Bulletin, which highlight a very real and shocking trend growing across Washington County: our youth are increasingly exposed to manipulation and victimization from adult sex offenders, both in person and online. Particularly, those with low self-esteem and/or mental health challenges, like depression.
Whether digital or face to face, all teens deserve to learn about, and experience, healthy relationships. Here are resources to improve open communication about relationships with your teen, strengthen their own self-esteem and identify digital abuse.
“Log On to Social Media” webinar – plus tools to navigate teens’ screen time this summer!
Summer is nearly here! But just because kids and teens have a few months out of school, it doesn’t necessarily mean their days are “carefree”. Increased amounts of unstructured time, for most youth, means more time online—including social media.
While there are pros and cons to many of the apps out there, alarmingly, 88{a64e5c7e062cd1e4e2f9421eef92c66acc8bb07332f04d4f529edfa6a926861d} of Social-Media using teens have seen others be mean online. To help you and your teens navigate screen time this summer, this month’s resources are all about helping parents:
*encourage safe and respectful behavior online.
*keep up with new apps and need to know lingo.
*know what you can do to support your child or teen who has been impacted by others’ hurtful words and actions online.
Screenagers – find out who they are, plus tips to help in times of crisis
While May is nationally recognized as Mental Health Month – the sudden loss of several young people in our Washington County community elevates this “month” of awareness to a much more personal level.
It also reaffirms us at YSB in our most important role and mission: to help youth and families build “Brighter Futures” in the face of challenges and adversity. This means a continued and intentional focus on prevention and early intervention for youth and teens through resources and professional support.
And in this time of need, it means YSB therapists going to the schools to support the students and faculty as they grieve together.
We know that raising kids can be overwhelming at times, especially as they face stress, grief and loss. We encourage you to utilize the free online resources below and others found on our mobile-friendly website, so you never feel alone in meeting the challenges of raising kids and teens.
Learn why “You’re Grounded” doesn’t work and more tips for parenting teens
Picture this: your teenager comes home past curfew and finds himself grounded for two weeks. He isn’t allowed to leave the house or contact his friends outside of school.
It seems like a good plan… until the two weeks are up and he decides to stay out even later than before. He may think, “I was only grounded for two weeks. What’s the big deal?”
Grounding is one of the many discipline strategies parents turn to when their teens make poor decisions. So why does “You’re grounded!” never seem to work so well, and what can parents try instead?
