HaltonParents

Support Tan-Free Proms

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Halton Guest Blogger

Ah… prom time. I can remember the excitement and all the planning for my own senior prom. As a mother of 2 boys, I don’t get to participate in discussions of colours and hairstyles, but luckily at this time of year, I only have to eavesdrop on giddy chatter in the malls and remember my own experience. Especially for girls, the prom can be one of life’s great adventures. A fairytale of glamour! From head to toe every detail is imagined to create her personal vision of loveliness. Some may even consider seeking what they believe to be the finishing touch; a tan, which for 21 % of grade 12 girls means a trip to a tanning bed to get that so-called “healthy glow”. Hold that thought… Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged beauty, cancer, melanoma, Physical Health, prom, school, school health, skin cancer, sun burn, sun safety, tan, tanning, tanning bed, teen, teenager | Leave a comment

Breastfeeding a three-year old? TIME has got us talking.

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Halton Guest Blogger

Oh, the controversy the latest Time magazine cover photo has stirred up. People all over the world are in a tizzy tweeting and blogging their opinions to whomever will listen. The photo is definitely “in your face”, and it’s meant to be. It sells magazines and it gets people talking. Home run for Time.

However, the unfortunate part about raising an issue like “extended breastfeeding” through the media in such a manner, means that the key messages of the actual issue end up getting completely warped, skewed and bent out of shape Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Breastfeeding Your Child, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged breastfeeding toddler, Breastfeeding Your Baby, extended breastfeeding, extended nursing, magazine, nursing, time | 2 Comments

Identify psychosis early – Open the door to tomorrow

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Halton Guest Blogger

Mental health is becoming more and more of a hot topic these days, which, from a health perspective, is a great thing. Let’s face it, it’s not an easy topic to discuss, but the stigma associated with it is a big barrier for individuals and families to get the help they need.

Well, this week is Mental Health Awareness Week (May 7-13), and a great opportunity for us to talk about mental illness, help reduce the stigma, and hopefully get the word out that help is available in Halton.

So, let’s talk about psychosis because 3 out of 100 people will experience psychosis in their lifetime, and it can happen to anyone regardless of intelligence, race or religious background. Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged Delusions, drugs, emotional health, Hallucinations, health, Mental Health, mental health awareness, parents, Phoenix Program, Psychosis, school, school health, stress, support, teens | Leave a comment

Teenage Wasteland

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Halton Guest Blogger

This is the last post in a three-part series about substance use and misuse in the teen years.

Teenage Wasteland might be a memorable song lyric by The Who…but teens getting wasted – is it really no big deal or should we be concerned? Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teen Brain, Teens | Tagged addiction and mental health, alcohol, alcohol poisoning, Binge drinking, drinking, drugs, drunk, high school, intoxicated, Mental Health, parents, Physical Health, school, school health, substance abuse, substance use and misuse | 2 Comments

What’s in your medicine cabinet?

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Monique Leparskas

This is the second post in a three-part series about substance use and misuse in the teen years.

Let’s be honest, when was the last time you went through your medicine cabinet? Do you have any leftover medications? I know that my medicine cabinet has not been on my spring cleaning list for a while!