Discover ways to help kids get through the holidays without experiencing depression.

During the holidays, a variety of factors can contribute to holiday blues. While this may not sound serious, holiday blues can be a sign of depression. It’s important to do what you can to recognize and alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety and depression during the holiday season. Factors that may contribute to these feelings include unreasonable expectations, financial issues, and family issues such as divorce and grief. While these issues are more commonly known to face adults, they can also affect kids. Help your children get through holiday blues.    

Talk to your kids
Let your children know that it’s completely normal to have negative feelings during the holidays. It’s natural to have moments of depression or feelings of being let-down or even angry. It’s better to recognize and allow for these emotions than to ignore them. Share the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Be active
Getting cooped up inside and having less exposure to sunlight can contribute to holiday blues. Do what you can to keep your kids active, whether that means facing the cold to play outdoors or visiting somewhere the kids can play inside, such as a climbing gym or indoor playground.

Acknowledge losses
If your family has lost a loved one recently, be sure to acknowledge that grief over the holidays. During times of tradition and celebration, that loss may be felt most keenly, especially by children. It may be a good time to visit a memorial or adopt a new tradition to honor your lost loved one.

Set reasonable expectations
While you certainly don’t want to dampen holiday joy and excitement, it’s also important to set reasonable expectations when it comes to activities and gifts. It’s also important to gently acknowledge the return to normalcy after the holidays and the ways that it can be disappointing to get back into regular routines.

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Learn how to organize your Thanksgiving gathering while juggling parenting.

When you’re busy raising kids, Thanksgiving can sneak up on you. It’s right around the corner from Halloween. This year, try these planning tips to help you beat the rush, even when you have children.

Enlist help. Assign a few guests side dishes or dessert to bring to your Thanksgiving gathering. Give away the task of providing items such as beverages or servingware if you’re not comfortable outsourcing food. Send your spouse on shopping trips and have your kids do age-appropriate busy work.

Purchase a few ready-made items. Focus on your favorite recipes, like your turkey, and give yourself some slack with other dishes. Try a store bought pie or a ham in addition to the side dishes you create with love.

Get your kids involved. Older kids can help with Thanksgiving preparation. Supervise younger kids if they're helping to make a side dish or have them create decorations and place-settings.

Use disposable plates. If you’re not prepared to serve a large number of people on regular plates, buy disposable plates and toss. Even if you usually go green, you can give yourself a break this time around.

Start planning early. Get ready for your gathering as early as possible. Plan your menu, contact potential guests and stock up on important ingredients and tools that you’ll need to create your meal.

Take it easy. Don’t go overboard. As inspiring as Pinterest boards might be, DIY crafts aren’t always attainable when you’re a busy parent. Remember that your guests will treasure the time spent together more than the way your table is set.

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Find out how to prevent bullying and how bullying may be linked to substance abuse.

Research is beginning to show a disturbing trend in teen behavior. According to DrugFree.org, students who bully their classmates are more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana compared to kids who don't bully others. These trends suggest a need to approach teen behavior from a broad perspective, focusing on substance abuse as well as peer interactions.

As a student, what does this mean to you?

Surround yourself with friends who make good choices. If you hang out with peers who abuse alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, you’re putting yourself at risk of being affected by the negative behaviors associated with substance abuse. Bullying can become a factor, as well as risks to your health and well-being.

Stand up for what you believe in. While it may not be easy, it’s important to stick to your beliefs. If you bend to bullies and peer pressure, you mark yourself as a target for those who will try to push drugs and alcohol on you, and try to control your behavior. Gravitate toward friends who share your beliefs. Ask your school to educate students about bullying and bullying prevention.

Talk to your teachers and parents. You can’t prevent bullying alone. The adults in your life are part of an important support system meant to protect you and keep you safe. If you’re witnessing bullying or you’ve been a victim of it, talk to a trusted adult. Don’t accept results like, “ignore it” or “fight back.” Keep pushing until you get the support you need to have a safe environment.

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Make sure teens have a safe, drug & alcohol-free Halloween.

Parental responsibilities don’t end when your kids get too old for trick-or-treating. When your children outgrow those nights of checking candy piles for unwrapped items, safety gets even more complicated and hands-on. Learn how to help keep teens safe this Halloween.

Avoid unsupervised parties
Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol are common at unsupervised teen parties and parties thrown by college-aged kids. Help your teen find alternatives if she’s disappointed by being unable to attend parties that could involve drugs and alcohol. Let her know that when she’s older, she’ll have many opportunities to celebrate Halloween with responsible drinking, but for now it’s out of the question. Let your teen know that you’re available as a ride (no questions asked) if your teen is confronted with a drunk driver or a driver under the influence.

Talk about drugs often
Talk about drugs before Halloween and throughout the year. Chances are, your teen already knows other kids who are using drugs. According to DrugAbuse.gov, 6.6 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana daily in 2011. If you ignore the presence of drugs and alcohol in your teen’s life, you’ll miss key opportunities to talk about the consequences of drug use and abuse.

Encourage safe activities
During Halloween, teens may be presented with opportunities to engage in dangerous behaviors. Talk to your teen about avoiding behaviors such as pranking, running around neighborhoods at night, and attending parties. Talk to your child about safety issues such as avoiding dark areas alone, as well as responsible ways to treat others. Whether your teen is sexually active or not, it’s a good time to talk about safe sex.

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These three scenarios were created by the LiveFree! Club of Dunedin High School to be used as conversation starters between parents and youth at meal times. Choose one and get the dialog started today! See Part I of our Dinner Dilemmas here.

Situation 1:  You decide to go the beach with your friends, but when you decide to leave, your friends tell you that if you don’t at least smoke once, they won’t loan you money for the bus (you have no money for the bus).

Dilemma:  On the one hand, if you don’t smoke, you can’t go home and you will get into trouble. On the other hand, if you do smoke, you get to go home, but your mom will be able to tell you were smoking and you will be in trouble. You could have avoided all of this by staying home and telling your friends that you couldn’t hang out, but you didn’t know they would make you smoke.

Discussion:  What decision would you make and why?

Situation 2:  You go to a party with lots of people, and they begin to offer you drugs and alcohol.

Dilemma:  On the one hand, you could do the drugs and drink the alcohol (look cool). On the other hand, you could decline the drugs and alcohol (look lame).

Discussion:  What should you do and why?

Situation 3:  Stephanie and Hector have been arguing constantly at practice. Terri overheard one of their arguments.

Dilemma:  On the one hand, Terri could say something to them to help them work out their problems. On the other hand, Terri could ignore them and pretend like she doesn't’t know they are arguing.

Discussion:  What should Terri do? Why?

LiveFree! is a coalition of community members with a vision to reduce substance abuse in our community by creating a safe, healthy community through public and private collaborations to educate and create public awareness, promote advocacy and develop healthy solutions to issues of youth substance abuse.

Learn how to get a head start on homework this school year.

Homework isn’t exactly something to look forward to. But once you get a good routine going and you stick to it, you can beat the homework blues.

Reward yourself
Always give yourself a little reward for getting your homework done. Try not to use a reward like food, because this can give your body mixed signals about food. Instead, give yourself some video game time, Facebook time or time to get outside and burn off some energy.

Eat well
What does food have to do with homework? It might not seem like much, but it helps to be well-fueled when you want to get your brain in gear. Being hungry can make you cranky and poorly focused.

Get enough sleep
Try to stick to a good sleep schedule. If you’re exhausted after school because you stayed up until 2 a.m., your homework is going to feel like a horrible marathon. If you’re well-rested, you’ll still be ready to tackle your homework in the evening.

Stay organized
Don’t let deadlines and exams sneak up on you. Use a Google calendar with alerts or an old-fashioned agenda to write down important dates. Never tell yourself you’re going to write it down later. You’ll probably forget.

Get help
Are you feeling overwhelmed with a subject at school? Don’t wait for your grades to slip. Talk to your teacher or guidance counselor about getting the extra help you need. Just like with sports, practice helps. Commit to doing some extra work to get a better handle on the material.

Work in a quiet place
Don’t do your homework in front of the TV or in a busy room. Pick a time and place with minimal distractions. If you don’t need to be online, don’t give yourself the option. Otherwise you may find yourself browsing the internet instead of doing your work.

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These scenarios were created by the Dunedin High School LiveFree! Club to be used as conversation starters between parents and youth at meal times. Choose one to get the dialogue started today!

Situation 1:  Your parents are out of town and your friends tell you they want to throw a big party at your house, but you don’t want them to have a party at your house.

Dilemma:  On the one hand, you could disobey your parents’ rule about no parties and please your friends. On the other hand, you could tell your friends you are going ahead with other plans and not have the party (it’s against your parents’ rule).

Discussion:  Should you please your friends or your parents?  Why?

Situation 2:  Your friend is in an abusive relationship and she shares her secret with you.

Dilemma:  On the one hand, you could tell a trusted adult to help her.  On the other hand, you could be a good friend, keep the secret, and hope for the best.

Discussion:  What should you do? Why?

Situation 3:  You’re out in the mall and your friends want you to “grip” (steal).

Dilemma:  On the one hand, you don’t want to disappoint your friends by walking away and doing the right thing. On the other hand, you don’t want to disappoint your parents by being sent to jail for stealing.

Discussion:  What should you do?  Why?

LiveFree! is a coalition of community members with a vision to reduce substance abuse in our community by creating a safe, healthy community through public and private collaborations to educate and create public awareness, promote advocacy and develop healthy solutions to issues of youth substance abuse.

Keep your teens safer this summer.

During the summer, teens are often less supervised than they are during the school year. Lack of structure and a mindset around having fun can lead to bad choices. According to TheAntiDrug.com, in the summer, 38 percent more teens per day try marijuana for the first time. This summer, it’s important to keep an eye on your teen. Try this checklist to get started.

Keep your teen busy
A teen with nothing to do has more opportunities to go seeking the wrong kinds of fun. Encourage your teen to get involved in camps, volunteering and summer jobs. Make opportunities for travel available if possible.

Set ground rules
Curfews and other rules may be more relaxed during the summer, but you still need to establish firm boundaries. Discuss summer rules with your teen early and often. This should include checking in frequently. Don’t allow your teen to try alcohol during the summer or to bend other important rules your family keeps in place during the school year. Summer shouldn’t be a break from safety.

Hang out with your teen
You’re probably not free during the summer the way your teen is, but you should still involve yourself in your teen’s summer life as much as possible. Make family time and encourage your teen to interact with her siblings and family.

Talk about the difficult stuff
It may make you uncomfortable to talk about sex, drugs and alcohol with your teen, but it’s important to do so. Many teens believe that accidents, unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections only happen to others. This sense of invincibility can lead teens to engage in risky behaviors.

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Your kids want to be just like you, right? Sometimes parents forget this and may not always set the best examples for their children to live by. You want your children to have positive role models in life, but you might be forgetting that you–their parent–are the most influential role model they have. Make sure you are setting a positive example as your child's role model.

So, what makes a good role model? There are many ways we influence our children, from decision-making skills to self-esteem. Here are 8 tips for making sure you're a  positive influence on your children.

1. Show Your Love
Make sure your children know you love them unconditionally. Even if you are unhappy with their behavior or need to discipline them at times, you should still show that you love them.

2. Stay Involved
Be involved in your children's lives outside of home, whether it is to watch them play sports or act as a member of their school's PTA. Show them that you value education and extracurricular activities.

3. Exude Positive Self-Esteem
Make sure you children know you are proud of who you are and what you do. Be confident and happy about yourself, and your children should feel the same about themselves. Avoid making negative comments or putting yourself down in front of your children.

4. Share Values
We all want to teach our children right from wrong–the best way to do so is to lead by example. Many of our values are learned from our parents and stick with us for life.

5. Share Healthy Habits
If you want your children to have healthy habits, you've got to set the example. Set healthy living habits by going to the doctor and dentist on schedule, cooking and eating healthy, and exercising regularly. Avoid abusing drugs, smoking and other risky behaviors.

6. Drink Responsibly
If you drink alcohol, do it responsibly, don't drink and drive, and never encourage your kids or teens to drink underage.

7. Admit Mistakes
You expect your children to admit when they make a mistake or do something wrong, so show them that even you make mistakes. But reiterate the importance of apologizing.

8. Share Success & Failure
If you appear to be perfect to your children, they will feel regret when they experience a failure. Make sure they know that even Mom and Dad aren't always perfect!

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Your teen is undoubtedly excited to start driving for the first time and is eager to enjoy this newfound freedom. However, as a parent of a teen driver, you are probably anything but excited. Being the parent of a new teen driver can be a nerve-wracking experience, but with the right involvement, you can make a difference in your teen's safety on the road. Here are some safety tips you can arm your teen driver with:

Buckle Up
Using a seat belt is the single most effective way to stay safe when driving. According to the National Safety Council, wearing a seat belt can reduce your risk of crash-related injuries by 50 percent and can be life-saving. Between 2004 and 2008 alone, seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives. Make sure your teens always buckle up in the car, whether they are going a mile down the road or taking a week-long road trip!

Avoid Distractions
Distracted driving is a major safety concern. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 16 percent of fatal crashes in 2009 were related to distracted driving and 20 percent of injury crashes were related to distracted driving. DistractedDriving.org states that distracted driving is any activity that could take a driver's attention away from the primary task of driving. Reinforce the dangers of distracted driving to your teen driver.

… Including Friends
Talking to passengers is considered distracted driving. Crash rates are lowest among teens who do not have teen passengers with them, and the crash rate increases with just one teen passenger. Don't allow your teen drivers to take passengers until they have become accustomed to driving.

Only Allow Day Driving
Driving at night is dangerous for teens because it can be more difficult to see, it is harder to judge speed and distance, and there are more unsafe and impaired drivers on the road at night. The hours between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. are the most dangerous for teen drivers. Make sure your teens have months of daytime driving under the belt before driving alone at night.

Stay Within the Speed Limit
Make sure your teens know the speed limits in the areas they drive. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the chance or serious injury and death doubles with every 10 mph over 50 mph a vehicle travels. Share with your teens the consequences that speeding can have.

For more information on driving safety, you and your teen can access the Florida Driver's Handbook or talk to you teen's high school about the availability of driver's education courses.