Search Results for: blog teenage boys and body image

Developing a Healthy Body Image

There tends to be a lot of mixed messages when it comes to body image. It makes me wonder how tweens and teens are able to digest it all. On one side we are being told that America has an obesity problem and the trend in overweight children is increasing. Yet on the other hand we are bombarded with images of skinny people and made to feel that unless you are stick-thin, you don’t measure up. Both sides of the coin aren’t healthy. We need to meet somewhere in the middle. But it’s difficult. I know because I have a … Continue reading →

The Problem with Teenagers and Smoking

I think we all know that smoking is bad. It really bothers me when I see teenagers lighting up a smoke. Little do they know how gripping that kind of habit can be on their life. They do it because others are doing it. They do it because they think they look cool. A recent report from “Science Daily” indicated that 80% of smokers became addicted before they are 18 years old. While that is disheartening, we also know that teens that never start up smoking are not very likely to begin smoking later on. While it’s great that there … Continue reading →

Teenage Boys and Body Image

Well yesterday was the first class I attended at my church on the topic of raising teenage boys. I wasn’t able to make it to last week’s class which talked about mental development. This week was about sexual development. Our youth pastor gave us a strong warning before he started the class. He said that much of what he was going to talk about was going to be in your face and possibly cause us embarrassment. This class was going to be as real as it can be. Some might be surprised that such a class would be taught in … Continue reading →

Asperger’s Syndrome Symptoms in Girls

Asperger’s Syndrome, like other autism spectrum disorders, is something that we still have a lot to learn about. One thing that seems to be true is that the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome in girls may look a bit different than how it tends to appear in boys. It has been said that Asperger’s Syndrome is a “high-functioning” form of autism. It is still part of what has been called “the autism spectrum” or an autism spectrum disorder. There seem to be more boys diagnosed with autism than girls, but I don’t know what the reason for that is. There is … Continue reading →

Rare Genetic Deficiency Causes Obesity In One of a Pair of Twins

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Are their twins in your family? I’ve heard it said that the possibility of having twins tends to run in families, but there is some debate about if that is fact or fiction. It’s also been said that obesity tends to run in families. A rare genetic condition has caused a teenage twin in the UK to be obese, even though the other twin is not obese. Could both of those genetic factors run in families? There are two types of twins: identical, and fraternal. Identical twins share the exact same DNA with one another. A pair of identical twins … Continue reading →

Zombie Hunting Gone Real World

Like many 16-year-old boys, my son is into video gaming. We all have our different ways of escaping the world and that is one of his. He also loves to bury himself in a good book and the more action, the better. So what happens when you combine video gaming with reading? You get Z. In this book you get the best of both worlds. The main character, Josh, loves to play his virtual reality zombie hunting game. But then he receives an invitation that he just can’t turn down, the chance to play the game in real life. This … Continue reading →

Sexting: Harmful or Harmless?

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Teens and pre-teens are increasing sending explicit images of themselves via texting using cell phones, a phenomenon known as “sexting”. Girls as young as eight have been reported sending photos of themselves topless and girls in their early teens sending videos of themselves naked with objects inserted into various parts of their body are not uncommon. These images are sent by cell phones to boyfriends and other friends, but unfortunately it does not end there. One of the aims of these girls is to use this technology to flirt with young boys and show them images of themselves to get … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Janet Kay Jensen

Today we are joined by Janet Kay Jensen, author of “The Booklover’s Cookbook” and “Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys.” Janet, your new book “Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys” came out at a time that was very significant in our current affairs. Warren Jeffs was on the front of every newspaper. Did his story inspire you to write the book at that time, or was the book already in the works and came out coincidentally at the same time the Jeffs story broke? I actually started the book in 2000, when Warren Jeffs was not on the FBI’s Most … Continue reading →

Warning Signs of Eating Disorders

The media constantly portrays the perfect woman as a slim and beautiful size 6, yet statistics show that the average woman is between sizes 11 and 14. As a result there is an increase in cases of eating disorders primarily among women. A survey completed by Exeter University in Great Britain reported that over half of the 37,500 teenage girls surveyed reported that their appearance was the biggest concern in their lives. They also found that 59% of girls who suffered from low self-esteem ages twelve to thirteen were dieting. Sadly about three percent of these girls will go to … Continue reading →