Q. How could I tell my parents I no longer believe in their faith? I had doubts in high school, but I’m not much of a rebel, so I just went along with what I was expected to do.In college, I began to see other ways of seeing things.It’s not that I reject their church as much as I reject the ...
Traditions matter to me.Every year since 2005, I have asked young people to share their New Year’s resolutions in this column. Most years they have similar themes – self-improvement, school success and improved relationships are the most common concerns.A few teens have been quite eloquent ...
Mental health is crucial for people of all ages, but young people are more vulnerable than most. They are also more resilient. Our Teen Outreach theme this year is “A Road to Better Mental Health.” We asked teens to share their biggest challenges and how they cope. Here are a few of their ...
Q. I’ve been divorced for more than a year and recently met someone I feel comfortable dating. I haven’t brought him home yet. I have two sons – one 12 and one 10.I’m a little ashamed to say I’ve never really spoken about the divorce with them. Of course, my ex and I talked with them ...
I’ve been honored to spend a lifetime listening to young people.The recent school shooting brought a flurry of spontaneous reactions from teens. I’ve facilitated formal discussions about school shootings twice.The first time was right after Columbine on April 20, 1999. We had no Teen Center ...
Q. I’ve always loved the holidays but if Christmas is anything like Thanksgiving, I’d just as soon skip it.My family is a mess.We were all together at my grandma’s house for turkey and my uncle showed up uninvited. He doesn’t believe in masks or vaccines. My grandma is old and has ...
