Note: This page may contain content that is offensive or inappropriate for some readers. If you are offended by such content, close the page and avoid it. Nothing stated on this page is intended to give any information which would not be wanted by parents. "Every parent wants to see their kids do well and be happy but they can be a total pain!" Many teens spend nearly every spare moment online. Sometimes that means reading about what happened in the past. The past? In this world of today with almost immediate access to a constant stream of information – what's past is prologue. And, teens are going online to learn more about those who contributed to the history of the world we live in – the Civil War, World War II, the Holocaust, etc. They can explore historical battles, explore museums on the Internet and find out how these events are affecting their personal lives. Many teens have formed online friends or even dating relationships with complete strangers. That's called social networking and it's more popular than ever. However, as always, safety is the number one rule and parents need to make sure their teens do not post anything online that they might regret later. Every day, thousands of "teen" sites that are all dedicated to teen fun are available on the Internet. "Friends" can be made, friends lost – you get the point. It all comes down to personal discretion. Teens often share too much information, including personal information, on their profiles on social networking sites. Parents should make sure they understand and respect their teens privacy. Be sure to create a "teen" account or two on some of the teen sites you see. You'll get a good idea of what to do and what not to do. Make sure you visit a site that's appropriate for the teen population. Not all sites are equally safe. When selecting a site, look for age limits and access guidelines as well as content. Some sites feature videos or information that may not be appropriate for the mature reader. Teens are drawn to sites where others share common interests and passions. Parents should make sure they understand the privacy policies of the sites they use. Most sites offer a variety of privacy options. At the very least, you can block your teen from accessing the Internet altogether – until he or she grows up. When it comes to sharing information on the Internet, teens should always follow the golden rule. Don't share anything you wouldn't want your mother to read! Remember: there are all kinds of teens and each one is a different person, although not all of them are created equal! For more information on teen issues, please visit the following website: http://teens.jaapl.com/home.htm ## My Daughter Won't Do Her Homework – What Should I Do? You may be asking yourself why your daughter – or son – refuses to do their homework. Maybe you never did your homework in school and you're puzzled as to how your offspring can be so lazy. Maybe you're lazy too and you wonder how you ever learned anything at all. But the fact is, your daughter won't do her homework because she may not have to, she may not have the time, or she may just want to. The real question is: why won't she? The answer may just surprise you. First, your daughter may have a problem with homework. Why do students act out, give up or even make problems for you? Why don't they do their homework? It's not because they don't have the ability or the will. Sometimes it's just because they don't want to. Students do not enjoy the pressure to finish homework to a certain length of time or to any set of standards. Now, this is not to say that your daughter has no ambition or drive. But it's also not to say that she doesn't have the ability. Most students have the ability to complete the work. The pressure is on what they want from life. For some students, they feel that their homework is not important. It doesn't seem worthwhile doing and it's only busy work. Many students think they've already learned their course material in school. Now, it's time for parents to step back and think about this for a moment. What's it like to go to school? It can be fun and enjoyable. However, there is a lot of pressure in school, especially with respect to homework. Homework may be done in the morning before school or at night after school. But it's rarely fun. It's often very time consuming and very hard to do. Students have to keep on top of their class. They have to think before they answer questions. They are tested on what they learned. They don't just get to learn what is interesting to them. Maybe your child has had that same experience at home. The subject may be what she likes or wants to do, but the process is simply not enjoyable. But homework is required. And when it doesn't seem to be fun, it becomes a chore instead. This, then, leads to students who may not do their homework because it's a chore. It's not a challenge or a fun activity. If homework is not a fun activity, they may tend to procrastinate. They may take forever to complete it. They may just wait until the night before to do it or, when they do get it done, it is usually a very quick job. Some students may not want to do their homework because it may not be very challenging. It may not require them to think. It may not challenge them. It may be easy to do. For some students, that's not enough. They want something more. They want more than the basic facts. They may need to create their own answers for an assignment or write a response for an essay. They may want a research paper, a term paper or some other kind of project. So if they don't have a project like that, they're left with less exciting homework. Maybe they were bored with the task as assigned and they didn't learn as much as they wanted. Students often find that their homework is boring. Why? It's not exciting and they get bored. So they don't have the desire to continue to finish it. Their eyes may glaze over