Misdiagnosis of Depression in teens
Depression is one of the most common diseases in teenagers. If your teen has problem of sleep, appetite, motivation, and social or family relationships, it means he has a problem of depression. A bad temper may also serve as a sign of depression. Some people think depression means sorrow on sadness only, but this is wrong.
If your teen is having difficulty expressing himself to you or to his peers, then you can expect double the trouble in deciphering the signs of depression. There are a number of stressors affecting today's generation of young people that go beyond normal school and peer pressures.
If depression continues to go unrecognized, the teenagers begin to feel more lonely and hopeless, and this is when the risk of drugs, suicide becomes greater.
To help your teenagers
· Make some rules, and told him to apply them. Only when they come to agree with our rules, through their own internal dialogue, will they become self-directed.
· Ask to your self- are you over-controlling your teen?
· If you're expecting your children to act one way and you act another, then ask them why the want to do this, or explain why and how that is wrong.
· Teenage is the time of change, fear, rebellion, moodiness, disrespect, and frustration. But it is also a time of fun, growth, adventure, sharing, understanding, and learning.
· Research shows that one of the best things you can do for your teen is simply to be there for them.
· It is important to remember that teenage friends can have a positive influence on your children, you should therefore help them find friends that have similar interests and views as those you are trying to develop in your children, including doing well in school, having respect for others and avoiding drug use, smoking and drinking, etc
Psychiatrists who treat adolescents say parents should seek help if they notice a troubling change in eating, sleeping, grades or social life that lasts more than a few weeks. Traditional behavioral therapists are less interested in the thoughts and emotions of their patients and more concerned with their behavior as can be observed. Encouragement and support from concerned family members can make a difference.
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About Author: Harry Johnson
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Bringing Back Handmade Barbie Clothes
Remember playing with dolls when you were a child? If you were like me, you had a Barbie doll or two in your toy box. Barbie was introduced in 1959 by a lady named Ruth Handler (co-founder of Mattel). Ruth named the doll after her own daughter, Barbara. In 1961, Ruth created Barbie's boyfriend, the Ken doll, named after her son. Now, almost half a century later, Barbie is still in the hearts and toy boxes of children (and even adults) everywhere.
Our children today have more toys than ever. Electronic toys, video game systems, iPods, and computers are just the beginning. So much has changed in the world of toys since we were children but one thing that hasn't changed is the simple love of the Barbie doll. Barbie today has new friends, new clothes, a new house, and even more new pets than she did 40 years ago. However, little girls today still enjoy dressing and primping Barbie to act out her fantasy life during playtime.
My grandmother was a seamstress. She would sew beautiful clothes and accessories for my Barbie doll collection. I had a suitcase full of her handmade creations and the kids in the neighborhood would come over so we could dress the dolls. I loved selecting the fabrics and picking out dress styles. Although I didn't realize it at the time, the clothes she made for my dolls were better quality than anything I could buy in a store.
As a teenager I became interested in sewing. Because my grandmother had passed, I was left to teach myself how to sew. I spent hours upon hours in front of my Kenmore sewing machine turning out beautiful creations. It came so naturally to me. Through the years I created clothing for myself and my family, window dressings, and decorative home decor items. I later spent about 5 years doing ready-to-wear clothing alterations for the general public. Then, about 10 years ago, a dear friend gave me the greatest birthday gift... a Barbie doll. Let me tell you, you are never too old to receive a Barbie doll!
While going through some old boxes during our last move, I found a box with many of the Barbie dresses my grandmother had made. The finding inspired me! I would make new clothes with today's fabrics for my Barbie doll. What could be better than handmade doll clothes? They are hard to find in this day and age because people don't have or make time to sew like they used to. As I began creating beautiful dresses, everyone who saw them wanted to buy them so I added them to my online craft store. I couldn't believe the response. I have received so many emails from people who told me beautiful stories of their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers who handmade their doll clothes when they were children. I then knew that bringing back handmade doll clothes for today's families would be the beginning of new traditions and would help create beautiful memories and gifts that could be passed down through generations. In a world where everything is so commercialized, going back to the basics with Barbie has reminding me of a wonderful time in my childhood. Today, my greatest joy is knowing that my creations will be passed down through generations to come and that I have a hand in helping today's children create memories that will last a lifetime.
Adrienne Hughes, seamstress and e-book author of "Sewing Patterns Defined" lives with her husband, her Yorkshire Terrier, and her Barbie dolls in Texas. She has no affiliation with Mattel. She invites you to visit her online Barbie clothing store at http://www.sewingbyadrienne.com or http://www.shopforbarbie.com and start creating your child's memories today.


Home Sewing...A Forgotten Pastime
There was a time in the world when mom or grandma would make their children's school clothes, repair garments by hand, and make stuffed animals and gifts for the neighbors. Children arrived on the first day of school wearing a new handmade dress or uniform. Their fashion dolls were dressed in clothing made of the same fabrics and stuffed animals were created from remnants or socks. Fast forward to the 21st century where most people's clothing, home decor items, and gifts are purchased at the local mall or department store. Brand names and trendy styles are what kids are wearing now. Today we live among a multi-tasking fast-paced generation where instant gratification is the norm. No longer do people have the time or the patience to sit in front of a sewing machine or grab a needle and thread to create hand-made items. People today are constantly on the go.
Where did our mothers and grandmothers learn to sew? They were taught by their mothers, grandmothers, and even in a school. It wasn't until the late 1970's that we started seeing sewing education classes disappear from many school curriculums. During the 1970's and before, sewing was primarily viewed as "women's work". However, there came a time when women were longing to join the workforce and earn money working outside of the home like their male counterparts. Eventually, it became common to see families who had two parents working outside of the home. In two-parent working families, when would there be time to go back to the basics and sew? Parents were still responsible for home and family duties after working a 40-hour week which left little time for doing things "the old way". As a result, with more money coming into the household and less time to sew, families were buying their clothes and gifts off the shelf.
As a child growing up, my mom was too tired and lacked the time and patience necessary to teach me how to sew. After all, it was much easier to just go to the store and buy whatever we needed. If children of my generation experienced family life as I did, how would we learn to sew and teach our children to sew? Better yet, how would we keep this tradition alive for years to come? Looking back, some of the most beautiful dresses I owned and the cutest outfits my Barbie dolls had came from grandma's sewing machine. I didn't know it then but handmade clothing was becoming scarce and I wish I would have treasured it more than I did. I have very few items left from grandma but I still have the handmade Barbie doll clothes.
Something inside of me always yearned to sew. I wanted to create handmade items that would be carried through generations. I wanted to create items that had my personal touch and a quality you could no longer find on a store shelf. I wanted to pick the fabrics and lace and create beautiful dresses. When I went in search of someone in the family who could teach me, I didn't find anyone who still sewed or who was willing to teach me. I decided I would buy a sewing machine and teach myself. With the help of many books and a little trial and error, I became a self-taught seamstress. I began making my own clothes, making gifts for family, and making Barbie doll clothes for my nieces. The joy I derived from sharing my handmade treasures was more than I could hope for.
As neighbors, friends, and family began to appreciate and treasure my love of sewing, I was finding that it reminded them of a time when their relatives created handmade items for them. Very few of them had any remnants of the items that were hand-crafted for them which made them appreciate my talent even more. Today, not only do I teach my younger family members how to sew, I sew Barbie doll clothes for my online store. I've been selling doll clothes online since 2001 and have received so many emails from appreciative customers who tell me what my hand crafted items mean to them. Even if people today do not have the time or skills to make hand-sewn items, I am able to bring my creations into their families which helps them to create new memories and traditions. My hope is that the handmade items I make for others not only bring them happy memories later in life but might also one day inspire them to learn how to sew.
Adrienne Hughes, seamstress and e-book author of Sewing Patterns Defined lives with her husband, her Yorkshire Terrier, and her Barbie dolls in Texas. She has no affiliation with Mattel. She invites you to visit her online Barbie clothing store at http://www.sewingbyadrienne.com and http://www.shopforbarbie.com.