Annie Fox on Parenting 21st Century Teens

Mental Help Net (www.mentalhelp.net) presents the Wise Counsel Podcast (wisecounsel.mentalhelp.net), hosted by David Van Nuys, Ph.D. "Annie Fox on Parenting 21st Century Teenagers", posted February 1, 2008. Dr. Van Nuys interviews Annie Fox, educator, author and maintainer of several websites aimed at helping teenage children negotiate the difficult transition to adulthood. She has been answering questions from teenagers and parents of teenagers online at her websites, "theinsite.org" and "anniefox.com" since 1996. According to Ms. Fox, the quickened pace, advanced communications technology and media saturation characteristic of the 21st century has resulted in a generation of children who are much more stressed out than prior generations. The level of academic and social performance expected of them has increased, they are encouraged to be sexual at earlier and earlier ages, and they have no regular periods of downtime. As a result, children are more stressed and pressured than ever before. Parents need to respond by becoming more active guides for their children's social and emotional development.