Teens Can Get Trapped in Unhealthy Relationships

Summer was just 16 when she started dating her first serious boyfriend, John. Summer loved the fact that John was so dedicated to their relationship. He was always willing to pick her up after dance and band practice, and made time to take her to the movies. He acted like a true gentleman — for awhile.

But after six months, John became very possessive, always questioning where Summer had been, who she'd been with, and why she hadn’t cleared her activities with him first. Summer accepted John's emotional abuse because he was her boyfriend. Didn't his possessiveness mean he loved her? But his put-downs and pressure to have sex, began taking a toll. Summer fought with her parents, avoided her friends, and even contemplated suicide. For two years, the teen stayed trapped in a dysfunctional relationship.

Beguiled by its symmetry and rich coloration, the masters of early Renaissance painting surrounded their renderings of the Madonna and child with strawberry plants, whose three-part leaves symbolized the Trinity and whose fragrant fruit, bowing to the ground, conveyed “noble thought and modesty” (Lipfert, Symbol-Fibel. Kassel). The rosy orb in these paintings is the tiny European fraise des bois, or Fragaria vesca, botanically distinct from the hardier Virginia strawberry, F. virginiana. When crossed with a large variety from Chile, the New World native became the parent of the commercial strawberry most of us buy in cartons at the grocery store.

For Marcia Coburn Stout and her husband Rotnei, waiting to start a family was part of the plan. The couple worked hard to achieve their goals, like climbing the corporate ladder, getting financially stable, and taking time to travel. Today, 38-year-old Marcia is a senior analyst with Fed Ex, and Rotnei, 39, works for Memphis city’s water division.
Together, they’ve visited place like Hawaii, San Francisco, and Canada. Fourteen years into their marriage, the to-do list finally read: children. So now they’re throwing themselves into parenthood, raising their 20-month-old daughter, Alexis Nicole.

What’s it like to become a parent later in life?

“It’s working good so far. It’s actually great,” Marcia says. “We are more patient than we were when we were younger, not having to deal with school and finances. I think we can show her a lot of love and patience at this age than we would have in our 20s.”

You’ve probably seen the billboards around Shelby County sponsored by Autism Speaks, a nonprofit organization aimed at raising public awareness of autism. The campaign stresses the importance of having children tested for autism and receiving early intervention. The number of children effected by this complex, neurobiological disorder has grown substantially in recent years, creating a sense of public health urgency.

The sun shimmers over the Atlantic as I dip my toes into the sugary sand and ease into my beach chair. My muscles feel liquid after a morning couple’s massage at the spa. The ocean breeze caresses my hair, and the warmth of the sun melts into my skin like butter. I’m here to experience the Nocturnal Nesting package at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a procreation vacation offered to help couples conceive — in style.
My husband and I booked the getaway after my doctor suggested stress might be interfering with our efforts to conceive our second child. After eight months of trying, we thought several days of pampering might be just the prescription we needed to hasten the pitter-patter of little feet.

The practice of co-sleeping is a controversial one. The stories the media report involve fatal accidents, typically resulting from parents who neglect to provide a safe sleeping environment for their infants. Between 2004 and 2006, according to Memphis and Shelby County Health Department figures, 10 babies died as the result of co-sleeping with adults. (This was out of 545 deaths of children under 1 year of age).

There is risk involved with co-sleeping with an infant. But the stories we don’t hear are those being lived out by families every day. Many parents choose to share sleeping arrangements with their children in a variety of ways. If you’re a new parent, weigh information on this topic carefully before deciding whether co-sleeping is right for you.

Junior Achievement Offers Lessons in Life

Nine-year-old Anthony Turner stands cloaked in a long black robe that all but swallows up his wiry frame. The garment lends this slice of a boy an air of authority, though, which he wields with relish as he presides as the mayor of Exchange City.

“I caught Coriyah McGee involved in horseplay,” announces the city’s police officer as she walks up to Turner’s desk. Turner looks the boy up and down. “Did you do it?” he asks, digging down deep for his most grown-up voice. His classmate Coriyah nods his head dolefully. “How do you spell your name?” Turner asks as he writes the name down in bold block letters.

“That’s a $3 fine, then.” Coriyah neatly prints the amount on a check to cover his fine, tears it out of his checkbook, then strolls back through the courtyard to the store where he works.

What Schools are Teaching Teens about Personal Finance

As parents, we teach our kids to be responsible for feeding their pets and cleaning their rooms. But are we teaching them how to be responsible with their money? According to a report published by Demos, an economic think tank, young adults today (ages 24-35) are starting life with more credit card debt than any previous generation. Their findings indicate the average consumer debt among young adults increased by 55 percent between 1992 and 2001, to $4,088. Financial experts say young people today are largely ill-equipped to handle the realities of credit and budgeting.

We love Memphis!

How about you? What are those places you
can’t wait to show family when they come to town? We asked you to tell us the best places around the city for families of all ages. We’re pleased to recognize the following destinations and businesses as this year’s Family Choice winners. Congratulations to All!

I got the first request back in October. My 4-year-old daughter Zoe and I were shopping the toy aisle at Target when we happened upon the Bratz dolls. More specifically, my daughter spied Cloe, the babe with the big blonde hair, glitzy, blue-sequined ball gown, and a glittery made-up face to match.
It was love at first sight.
While we were able to leave the store that day without Cloe coming home with us, my daughter hasn’t let me hear the end of it. And now she’s pulling the Santa card:
“If my family won’t get it for me, I’ll just ask Santa,” she reasons.
My daughter Zoe is not alone in her fascination with the Bratz dolls. Ever since these fashion phenoms were introduced by MGA Entertainment in 2001, they’ve been flying off toy shelves, earning $2 billion in sales globally and making them second only to Barbie, who’s sales clock in at $3 billion. The Bratz pack are giving fashion Barbie a run for her money.