For parents of 14 – 18 year olds
These sessions were held on September 19th 2011

Agenda
7 – 7:50 p.m.: Plenary Session
8 – 9 p.m.: Breakout sessions, Q&A

Plenary Teen talk: Understanding your teen
Dr. Mark Norris
Teenagers go through a lot of changes. Dr. Norris will talk about how these changes affect both teens and parents. He’ll provide tips that families can use in their daily routine while respecting the need for privacy and individual growth.

“Calm Down” and other stuff you should never say to kids
Dr. Phil Ritchie
This session looks at how to communicate with children and youth in times of turmoil. Teenagers challenge their parents’ values as a way to find out who they are. We’ll discuss how to cope with the stresses of raising teens, how to communicate with them, how to resolve conflict, and how to instill some resilience into them for what can be some very difficult years.

Click here to download a PDF of Dr. Ritchie's the presentation.

Even Suicide: A Discussion of Mood, Anxiety and Depression in Today’s Family
Dr. Michael Cheng
We all want nothing more than our kids to grow up happy. Unfortunately, it's not so easy in today's stressful world. Families have to deal with depression, anxiety and even suicide. The good news is that there are many things families can do to: 1) create resilient children and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression, 2) support a child with anxiety and depression, and 3) know how to access community supports in case you need them later.

“The Talk”: Sexual Health & Sexual Identity
Dr. Stephen Feder
Youth experience their sexuality in many different ways. This session will provide a framework for how sexuality is processed, experienced and acted upon in youth. Specific topics may include: experiencing puberty, youth becoming adults, teens trying to deal with parental control, safe sex, teen pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender diversity.

Click here to download a PDF of Dr. Feder's presentation.

How to Help Not Harm: Talking to Children and Youth about Body Image
Dr. Katherine Henderson
You are worried that your child might be overweight or anorexic, or that they are unnecessarily concerned with their weight. What do you do? This session will explain what can be helpful -- and what can be harmful – when talking to your child or teen. We will explore how body image develops and strategies that we can use to help kids develop a positive body image.

How to encourage healthy active living
Dr. Kristi Adamo
This session will address the prevention, management and treatment of weight issues in teens, with tips to keep them physically active and eating healthy. Parents can discuss the physical, emotional and social challenges of weight – and strategies to deal with them.