Hearst is closing down Cosmo Girl after the December 2008 issue. But don’t worry, CosmoGirl.com will continue.

One magazine closes and another starts. Hearst is starting a new magazine, Mis Quince, a magazine aimed at girls who are planning their quinceañeras.

Are the dyes in your child’s food making him hyper?

Energy drinks may lead to future substance abuse.

At least 72% of 12- to 17-year-olds have been bullied online. And 90% of them never told their parents.

Depressed kids are getting medicine, but no therapy.

Kids who were aggressive toddlers, received harsh or reactive parenting and come from low-income families are more likely to be bulliied.

Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, an ivy league school, is starting a new website for high school students. It’s coming in February 2009. “Knowledge@Wharton High School is an interactive site for high school students interested in finding out more about the world of business.”

Britney Spears is ready to spill the beans about her behavior last year that landed her in a psych ward. She will appear in a 90 minute documentary on November 30th…just days before her next album drops.

Porn sells. Even to kids?

Connecticut joins Massachusetts and California as the only three states in the nation that allow same-sex marriage.

The Massachusetts school where girls entered in to a “pregnancy pact” last year is now going to allow contraceptives to be provided to students.

Many schools have banned soda, but kids are still getting their fix from local convenience stores.

Videos on video-sharing websites or social networks are showing our kids how to get high.

Now parents can control their teens car with only a key. Ford is introducing MyKey which allows parents to program how fast the car can go and how loud the radio can be. It will even “remind” kids to put their seat belt on. It will be a free standard feature on the 2010 Ford Focus.

Google is taking over the world…or at least video games. They are adding Adsense to some video games.

College students get creative with their cheap dorm decorating.

Some pets aren’t safe for kids.

Don’t let the thought of a bulging figure stop you from enjoying Halloween.

Need a training manual for raising your teenage daughter?

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Sunday Reading

One school made a 13-year-old Goth boy remove his makeup. Is this sexual discrimination?

When moms overestimate their teens’ future use of alcohol, it actually leads teens to drink more.

As a sign of the technology times, Visa is going mobile. Soon our teens will be doing everything with their cell phones.

Have you teenager-proofed your marriage?

Dr. Robyn has 7 ways to NOT be a helicopter parent when talking to teachers.

My Political World is social network getting young people involved in politics.

Help your young kids understand the political process.

And Channel One has started their election coverage.

Teen abortion rates have plummeted.

What to do if your teen is cutting.

As expected, older children are being dropped off at hospitals in Nebraska under their new safe haven law. One father dropped off all nine of his children from the age of 1 to 17.

Teach your tweens and teens self-discipline.

All kids from 6 months to 18 are encouraged to get flu shots this year.

Dr. Drew Pinsky has a new sex show on MTV; Sex…With Mom and Dad. In each episode Dr. Drew will help a teen and his or her parents work through their problems discussing sex, dating and relationships.

Banning soda in schools has had little effect on the amount of soda kids are drinking.

What do teens have to say about cyberbulling?

Here’s a shocker, Clay Aiken is gay. And so is Lindsay Lohan.

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Sunday Reading

With summer jobs hard to find, some teens have turned to Second Life to make money. They can sell virtual goods online and make real money right from their couch.

Is 11th grade the most difficult year for ambitious high schoolers? “More than half the students reported that they had dropped an activity or hobby they enjoyed because schoolwork took too much time. More than three-quarters reported experiencing one or more stress-related physical problems in the month prior to the survey, with more than 50% reporting headaches, difficulty sleeping, or exhaustion. About 9% said they had illegally used prescription drugs like Adderall or Ritalin to stay up and study; 25% said they used stimulants like Red Bull or No-Doz.”

According to a new study, teens are not engaging in oral sex to preserve their virginity. In reality teens are becoming sexual active in multiple ways at the same time. “The analysis of a federal survey of more than 2,200 males and females aged 15 to 19, released yesterday, found that more than half reported having had oral sex. But those who described themselves as virgins were far less likely to say they had tried it than those who had had intercourse.”

Some school are experimenting with healthier snacks in vending machines. It’s a start, but we could do better. Dr. Robyn Silverman gives us some tips on how to make a change.

Sixth graders are having sex in school. And videotaping it.

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Sunday Reading

The best way to avoid drugs is to not avoid them, but instead to educate your teen about them.

With the declining economy it may be more difficult for teens to find summer jobs this year. Now they will be competing with unemployed workers.

College admission letters are starting to come out and teens are starting to feel the stress of it all.

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Sunday Reading

MySpace can actually help kids. It can “foster adolescent pursuits of true identity, friendship — and validation.” Many teens are finding that MySpace helps them gain self-esteem in the real world.

The Mentor Mom tells us how to get in to the mind of our school age kids so we know what’s going on and communicate with them.

You know the economy is going south when teenagers are spending less. Or are they just spending less because we have less money to give them? Mir also includes some of Karen’s tips on teaching kids about money. And her is another 10 ways to teach your kids about money.

Bullying and school violence hit a little too close to home for Karen Sugarpants.

O’Reilly Media has come out with a new graphic novel for teens called Internet Blackout. It’s “aimed at entertaining teens while teaching them about Internet security and hacker ethics.”

Dr. Robyn Silverman gives us six ways to teach our kids to be good sports.

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Sunday Reading