Personal and Social Development
Parenting
Parents Guide to the Internet – This site is designed to provide you with basic information about how to use the computer to find information and communicate with others. It tells you what you need to get started on the Internet—a vast network of computers that connects people and information all over the world—and points you to some of the many interesting, helpful, and fun resources available online for parents and children.
Parenting – 100's of websites with information for parents, teachers and caregivers who are concerned about children.
Stepfamily Network - The Stepfamily Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping stepfamily members achieve harmony and mutual respect in their family lives through education and support.
The Children's Partnership – A national, nonpartisan organization that provides timely information to leaders and the public about the needs of America's 70 million children – and promotes ways to engage all Americans to benefit children.
The Center for Young Women’s Health – The Center for Young Women’s Health at Children’s Hospital in Boston has re-launched its website about teen and young women’s health. The website has quizzes, interactive health chats and pages about gynecology, nutrition, fitness and sexuality.
The F.U.N. Place – This site has articles, games, chatrooms, and a variety of resources for the whole family.
Teens – Understanding emotional changes in your teenager
The Future of Children – This site is designed to disseminate timely information on major issues related to children's wellbeing.
Family – A Disney site that offers a variety of resources for families.
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters – This site describes the impact of violence and disasters on children and adolescents, with suggestions for minimizing long-term emotional harm
Terrorism and Children – Judith Myers-Walls, a Purdue University Extension Specialist in Child development and family studies, has researched children's reactions to wars and disasters and offers advice for helping children cope with the terrorist attacks, and their aftermath.
Parent Power - Parent Power is an electronic newsletter for parents who want to know more about the issues that affect their children's education. Each issue is packed with informative articles that highlight new trends in schooling and offer helpful hints to parents who want to take a more active role in their local schools. Parent Power also actively solicits articles from parents about unique experiences they have had educating their children or working for education reform.
Parent Talk Newsletter - This online newsletter from the National Parenting Center includes articles from physicians and psychologists that deal with subjects from pregnancy to adolescence. Site search engine, forums and membership information are also listed.
Time 2ACT - Time2Act.org "is intended to encourage discussion among professionals in education, the justice system, parents, students and the community to stimulate new approaches to these issues nationwide and initiate reform."
Personal Safety
National Network for Youth - The National Network for Youth is a 30-year –old national non-profit membership and advocacy organization committed to advancing its mission to ensure that young people can be safe and lead healthy and productive lives.
The National Beta Club - The National Beta Club promotes the ideals of character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. It strives to reward meritorious achievement and to encourage and assist students in continuing their education after high school.
Character Education - This site is dedicated to providing quality online, ready-to-use curriculum, activities and resources that integrate with and enhance the classroom experience. It allows schools and students to network together by sharing ideas and experiences with others in their community and nationwide.
National Clearing House For Drug and Alcohol Information For Kids – “This is a great place for kids to learn about substance abuse and how to deal with it in their lives. The site is produced by The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI), but the Spanish version is linked to the Instituto para el Estudio de las Adicciones in Spain. Click on Be Smart Don't Start to go to a set of informative links about how drugs and alcohol affect our bodies. Check out How Can I Help Someone? For some great tips about how to really help someone who's an alcoholic. This page offers some particularly good advice to children of alcoholic parents.”
Teen Central - Teen Central.Net allows teens to share their own stories, read stories by other teens, get feedback from trained professionals as well as other teens, and locate phone numbers for hotlines in their area.
Step On-Line - This site is dedicated "to making a difference in the lives of youth by addressing their interests, needs and concerns as they relate to drugs."
Tolerance - This award-winning site provides resources for teachers, parents, teens, and kids who are interested in "dismantling bigotry and creating, in hate's stead, communities that value diversity."
Bullying - Bullying.org encourages young people who are dealing with the issue of bullying to understand that they are not alone, that being bullied and teased is not their fault, and that they can do something about it.
Above the Influence - Above the Influence promotes a drug-free lifestyle for adolescents and is sponsored by the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information of the United States Public Health Service.
Straight Scoop - The goal of the Straight Scoop News Bureau is "to provide student journalists with information about the realities of drugs and drug abuse."
Community Support Groups
Support groups are not for everyone, but the right support group can be helpful and comforting. A group can provide valuable information and the opportunity to talk to people and families who are experiencing the same troubles or issues.
Most support groups are led and managed by volunteers, not by health professionals. Some support group leaders receive training from the sponsoring organizations and some do not. Sometimes an organization is sponsoring a support group, sometimes just helping out by donating space. Call the number provided by the group and ask questions. Attend a meeting and talk to the people there. If you are not able to go out to a group, some groups can arrange for a peer mentor to contact you by phone or email.
The Albuquerque Journal provides a list of local and national support groups as a public service:
