When does a teen change into an adult?

At some point, a teen changes from a “Kid” to a “Grownup.” It’s different for every teen, but it happens every time. What goes in to changing a Kid to a Grownup? Is it education? A job? The family environment? A relationship? We can see where “New Adults” come from, and get a better idea of the influences involved in America’s youth: Transitions to adulthood by Susan Aud, Angelina KewalRamani, Lauren Frohlich.

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Useful Web Links:

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BeSeen: How to use Social Media Safely

Did you know that nearly three quarters (73%) of teens are on a social networking site? Also according to recent research, a staggering 55% of teens have given out personal information to someone they didn’t know, and 56% of teens say they’ve been the target of some form of online harassment. With statistics like these, it is vital for teens and parents to learn how to use social networking sites in ways that promote positive online activities and prevent incidents of identity theft, social engineering and cyberbullying.

Carnegie Cyber Academy now has an app called BeSeen available in the Apple App Store, designed for the iPhone and compatible with the iPad. It will also become available for Android devices in December of this year. This app is designed for grades 6 and up and simulates a social networking site to teach teens about the cyber threats they may find on such websites. And, of course, the app is fun, so check it out!

For parents and teacher there is a classroom user guide and lesson plans, which can be found at: www.playbeseen.com.

Back-to-School – Stress Time

From Health & Wellness Resource Center blog The Pulse.

As August creeps into September, parents and kids alike will begin to plan for the return to school. For many children, getting back into study mode may cause feelings of anxiety or stress. This is particularly true for kids starting high school or junior high when the workload increases and the pressure mounts. High school students staring down SATs and college applications have stressors all their own with which to cope. Younger students may be overwhelmed by the balancing act of tackling school work and extra curricular activities. Helping your child manage stress can do wonders for their ability to thrive now and to handle stress well into adulthood.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) defines stress as the uncomfortable feeling you get from worry, fear, anger or frustration—any and all of which can quickly overwhelm. The AAP has created “A Teen’s Personalized Guide to Managing Stress,” which points out that stress isn’t always a bad thing. It can, in fact, prompt us to work harder. But when stress leads to constant worry, fear or anxiety, it can hinder forward movement as well as overall physical and mental well being.

On its web site, the AAP shares “A Parent’s Guide to Building Resilience in Children and Teens,” which walks through proactive ways parents can help their kids manage stress through healthy means. It also lists out signs that may mean a child and his or her parent need to seek help.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) offers tips for parents on how they can help their child manage stress. These include listening carefully to their children and being vigilant for signs or overload. By modeling their own positive stress management skills, parents give their children an example they can follow. The AACAP website also offers suggestions to teens directly. These include exercise, avoidance of drugs including caffeine, enjoyment of outside activities and rehearsing for situations that cause stress.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers detailed information on coping with stress on its web site. It provides tips for parents, tips for kids and teens, and tips for school personnel.

eReaders for Kids

Wondering how to get your kids to read more?  Try giving them an eReader.  Kids report they read more using an eReader.  Kids, are not sure why they read more.  It may have something to do with the Internet device being cool.  The Nook Color or an tablet such as iPad,  is great for younger children just getting started with picture books as they get the same color experience as they would with the print version of the book.  For older children into “chapter books”, an e-ink reader such as  a Sony or Nook . The eInk technology provides a great reading experience.

You are not locked in purchasing books either. The Virtual Library’s eMedia Catalog provides a great selection of ebooks for all ages.  Want to get started with downloading? This summer the Virtual Library will be hosting a workshop on eBook Downloading 101 for anyone who wants to learn how to download eBooks from the Library for free.

The Virtual Library would like know how you feel about allowing kids to use eReaders.  Please take the poll and let us know.

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Top Websites

• Stop Disasters! A Disaster Simulation Game from UN/ISDR
  Source: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), United Nations (UN) 

  This online SIM game teaches visitors about building safer villages and cities against natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and wildfires. Players can choose from a range of difficulty levels.

• 60 Second Recap
  Organization: DimSum Media, Inc. 

  “60second Recap wants to make the great works of literature accessible, relevant, and, frankly, irresistible to today’s teens. Through 60second Recap video albums, we seek to help teens engage with the best books out there…not just to help them get better grades, but to help them build better lives.” (DIMSUM MEDIA)

• First Person American
  Organization: First Person American 

  “First Person American focuses on stories of modern immigrants in the US, and explores what it means to be American through the lens of the immigrant in an expressive, personal and narrative style.” (FIRSTPERSONAMERICAN) Get an inside look at what it’s like to be an immigrant in the U.S. through unique first-person stories and videos.