May 2009

As the school year is coming to a close and summer is almost upon us, I’d like to share some information regarding some summer possibilities that youth and teenagers will be faced with.

Being Safe on the Roads

While not all of our kids are driving yet there are some who are and even if your child isn’t behind the wheel, they may be with another teenage driver.

According to a recent study conducted by the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and The Allstate Foundation, 83 percent of teenagers admit to driving while talking or texting on their cell phones. At the same time, 68 percent agree that talking/texting while driving is as dangerous as driving in icy conditions.

That means that despite the fact they know the risks and the dangers, a large majority of teens still do so.

You can read more here

New Alcohol Study

Another new study conducted by the National Institutes of Health indicates that teenagers who are involved in heavy drinking (twice a week or more) score an average of ten percent lower on memory tests. This can make the difference between an “A” and a “B” in your child’s classes.

For the article and a video click here:

Summer Movies

A group called GenDigital does a Planned Attendance survey every year asking teens who consider themselves frequent movie-goers which movies they plan to see this summer season. In past summers, GenDigital’s survey has been spot on for the top 5 and pretty solid for the entire top 10. After reading plot summaries and watching trailers, this is the list of the Top 10 Planned Movie Attendance:

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2. Bruno
3. The Hangover
4. Land of the Lost
5. Funny People
6. G.I. Joe
7. Angels & Demons
8. Star Trek
9. Harry Potter
10. Terminator Salvation
10 (tie). I Love You Beth Cooper

For information on each of these movies, reviews, trailers, etc. you can search for them at the Internet Movie Database:

Also, Plugged In Online is a Christian movie reviewing website run by Focus on the Family. It is very detailed about objectionable content.

Quotable

“I’ve always been enamored with language and words and having fun with them. Instead of teaching 25 kids in a classroom, you’re doing it on a broader scale.”
- Rapper Asher Roth talking about whether he regrets abandoning his goal to be an educator, USAToday, May 6, 2009

Don’t forget – you’re the parent! Take control.

In Christ,

Ralph