Threadbanger has a great how-to video for transforming a dated 80s dress (save money and hit the thrift store!) into a dress that will wow the crowd today.

This is still a pretty challenging DIY project, but it’s a great way to save some $$$ and create a unique dress – all at the same time!

Post from: Blisstree

DIY Prom

Convince underage girls not to drink by letting them know their drunken antics will be the butt of many jokes. Humiliation goes a long way with a teenage girl. Watch the videos on ALot2Lose.com with your daughter and see what she thinks.

Speaking of underage drinking, Vanessa Van Petten gives us the facts about teen drinking.

And Liz at This Full House points us to another great site called Grltlk.org website as she starts talking to her teens about drinking.

According to The Teen Drug Abuse Blogs, communication is the best way to fight drug abuse among teens. Are you communicated with your teens? Not just lecturing, but actually communicating and listening?

So how do you become and active listener? You use your whole body.

Paris Hilton is searching for her new best friend on MTV. Oh help us.

Is your teen the next Steven Spielberg? Or a comedian like Dane Cook? Or quirky like Jim Carrey? Then they might interested in MTV’s movie spoof contest. They could win a trip to the 2008 MTV Movie Awards.

Movie spoofs not their thing? Are they more of the Alex P. Keaton variety? [On a sidenote, I called my son Alex P. Keaton the other day and he didn't know what I was talking about. Oh the humanity.] Well he/she can post a video about what the new president should do on his/her very first day in office.

Or is your teen an aspiring journalist who wants to cover the election? Wiretap is looking for Millennials (age 18 to 28) to blog about the election.

Get in to the election spirit with a Declare Yourself Vote t-shirt from American Eagle.

Did you know eating disorder may be contagious?

Philly schools cut snacks and it helped kids lose weight. I’m still trying to figure out why schools ever introduced soda and candy machines in the first place.

But then again, with junk food bans kids are selling candy in the black market…or at least at school in secret. And they are making a profit. They are quite the entrepreneurs.

Teen dating violence is on the rise. We need to take notice and put a stop to this. Keep track of your teens.

Have you heard about this new children’s book, My Beautiful Mommy? It explains plastic surgery to kids. Thoughts?

Vanessa Van Petten tells us what to do if our teen wants to wear clothes we don’t find appropriate.

YPulse has some interesting tidbits about teen credit card debt, female athletes and catholic youths.

Over at Adventures in Parenting there is an interesting (and scary) prom story. Good thing her daughter was cautious and checked out the stoned limo driver before she got in the car.

A U.K. store was criticized for selling a plunging, padded bra for kids as young as seven. I recently had this same issue with a bathing suit I bought at Old Navy for my eight-year-old.

Post from: Blisstree

Sunday Reading

Condoms?!?

Yes, condoms. At least for one school.

A school in Arizona has voted to put condoms in a goodie bag they will be handing out at prom. The bag will contain balloons, candy, pictures frames and condoms.

It’s widely known that many people have sex after prom. Sometimes for the first time. Prom is the one night some parents let their kids stay out all night. A few parents even get hotel rooms for their student and their friends. But, even with this fact, should schools be providing students with condoms?

On one hand, if kids are going to have sex anyway it’s best that they protect themselves. Many teenagers think they are ready for sex, yet don’t have the nerve to purchase condoms at the store. So maybe they would be more apt to have safe sex with condoms in their goodie bags.

But I’d rather see schools trying to find activities to sponsor fun instead of sex. Many schools have after prom parties with non-alcoholic drinks, snacks and fun games and prizes. Some of the prizes at our local schools are pretty darn good prizes, like a television. From what I’ve seen in our community these after prom parties have gotten pretty popular and kids have a lot of fun at them. I would prefer the school to spend money on a post party rather than on condoms.

What do you think?

Post from: Blisstree

Condoms in Prom Goodie Bag

Image details: Young couple at prom served by picapp.com

Tis the season for the “big dance” also known as Prom! From now until mid-June the sight of a limo in the neighborhood or teen girls all dressed to the nines, will be a fairly common sight. Luckily Prom is a few years off for my kids, but I still remember my prom very vividly – from the pink and white candy striped dress from GunneSax (still not as ugly as these prom dresses) to being incredibly nervous at dinner to feeling “pressured” by my date for some after party action (no, I did not give in). Teens today are still faced with these same issues, but everything seems magnified.

In her most recent podcast, Aurelia from Parenting my Teen talks with Vanessa vanPetten about:

“…the planning that is involved, from shopping for a dress or tuxedo to booking a limo and ordering flowers. She also shares the staggering calulations of how much a prom might cost you and creative ways to lessen those costs.

Part of the prom fantasy is what will happen after the prom. From after-prom parties to drinking, drugs and sex, if your teen wants to particpate in any of these vices, they WILL. Vanessa and I strongly encourage you to speak candidly with your teen about the dangers each of these things present and to help them make safe after-prom plans.”

These two ladies know their stuff and give some very sensible advice in the podcast.

Lin at Telling It Like It Is has also been talking with her daughter about prom safety, expectations, dos and don’ts and having fun safely.

Looking back on my own prom, it was definitely more hype than it was worth, and it was a bit of a let down afterward. I think it would have been more fun to just go with a group of friends – and no date. Talking with your teens can certainly help put this event into perspective and help them have fun and be sensible at the same time.

Post from: Blisstree

Prom Season is Here