Communication Is Key..
Thousands of kids will be making the trek back to school this month, and no doubt decisions are being made about new wardrobes and cool supplies. And while these “tough” choices are important to your child, we’ve catered this year’s Back To School issue to a few topics that are a bit more hard hitting and difficult to discuss. The goal? To encourage you, as parents and grandparents, to create an open line of communication with your child, regardless of their grade level.
Bullying is something that often goes unnoticed by parents. We took a look at what Marion County schools are doing to combat the issue, creating a safe and welcoming learning atmosphere for our children. If you’re not concerned with your child getting bullied themselves, don’t forget to talk to them about the importance of treating other people with kindness and respect. Perhaps you can stop a potential episode of bullying before it even starts.
Is your child going to play a sport this school year? If so, maybe you should consider going beyond the basic athletic physical—it could be a potentially life-saving decision. Did you know that it’s estimated that a student athlete dies of sudden cardiac arrest every three days? Did you also know that the conditions leading up to the arrest are very likely to go undiagnosed? A routine ECG could save your child’s life.
Finally, we’re tackling the subject of teen pregnancy. According to The Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, three out of 10 girls will become unexpectedly pregnant before they turn 20. We visited one local maternity home that caters to pregnant girls with nowhere else to turn.
These are issues that no parent wants to face when concerning their own child. In order to protect our kids, we can’t ignore the tough topics, though. Whether it’s talking to your child’s doctor about medical testing or meeting with their teacher on parent-teacher day, it’s important to communicate with the people who help shape our children’s lives. And above all, talk to your kids.
Until next time,
Kathy
