Today's+Question

[[image:http://gawker.com/assets/resources/2008/02/screamingteen.jpeg width="108" height="163" align="left"]]Biggest Challenge Faced by Teens
//There's school. The constant preasure to do good. Now not only do you have to graduate High School but also college just to get a good job.// //Then there's friends. There's not a lot of close friends anymore. Everyone wants something from someone else. Relationships too. Everyone always has someone. If you don't you're a loser. They're not serious relationships either. Just people together for the sake of having someone//. - **Do you find truth with any of these comments? What is the biggest challenges you face, or you think are faced by teens of 2011?**  [|Join the discussion]

[[image:http://media.brainz.org/uploads/2010/12/new-years-bucks-county.jpg width="155" height="112" align="left"]]What is your New Year's Resolution?
Have you decided to eat healthier? Maybe get better grades?, or be a better friend? And, what do you think is the most popular New Year's Resolution for Teens?

[|Join the discussion]

[[image:http://blog.demandware.com/Portals/587/images/gift_card.jpg width="155" height="129" align="left"]]To Gift Card or NOT to Gift Card? What is your take on this seemingly harmless gift?
Conventional wisdom holds that gift cards are the perfect present for picky teens. But not all teens agree. Often the cards pile up unused, but some teens sell them for a portion of their face value. more on this story

[|Share your opinion] posted 12/20/2010

== What are you spending your money on this holiday season? == Though we know this generation to be a pack of gadget junkies, tech toys fall behind clothes and entertainment items such as games, movies and music in terms of what they expect to receive as gifts. Interestingly, what they expect to receive the most this year are cash and gift cards.

[|Share your opinion] // posted 12/13/2010 //

[[image:http://lifebymuse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/holiday_gift_purple.jpg width="164" height="123" align="left"]]
As we begin the holiday season, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the Christmas cravings of grade-schoolers and grownups. From gaming systems to do-everything mobile devices and even fancy dolls, many Americans – no matter their age – are clamoring for the same gifts, say retail experts. “We certainly see kids migrating to adult-like products (including) iPods, cell phones, video games, and the like,” said Sarah Wood, director of the Amazon.com toys and games store. And the migration goes the other way, too, as adults who may be children at heart want the games, gadgets and even dolls that are popular with the under-18 set. [|Join the discussion] // posted 12/02/2010 //

[[image:http://idolator.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/demi-lovato.jpg width="126" height="90" align="left"]]
Demi Lovato has quit her tour with the Jonas Brothers and will be written out of upcoming episodes of her Disney show, but she is just another in a long line of teen stars falling victim to depression, cutting, and substance abuse. So what now? The trappings and pressures of fame can make young stars crack. 'You're going to see more of this,' says one former child actor. more on this story

[|Share your opinion] // posted 11/13/2010 //

Have you ever been caught in a lie? How long have you stuck to a lie without being caught? It what situations is it OK to lie?
Half-truths, misinformation, twisted truth, blatant lying. On the continuum of trust, there is a black and white extreme TRUTH and UN-TRUTH… or LIE. 38 percent of teens believe it is sometimes necessary to cheat, plagiarize, lie. Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of all teens surveyed think cheating on a test is acceptable on some level. More on this story

[|Share your story] // posted 10/15/2010 //

President Obama To Host Youth Town Hall Special On MTV 'A Conversation With President Obama' to air on October 14.
President Barack Obama will take part in a youth town hall special on October 14 called "//A Conversation With President Obama.//" The interactive one-hour event will air live and commercial-free on MTV, MTVu, BET, Centric, TR3s and CMT at 4 p.m. (ET) and stream live on MTV.com, BET.com and CMT.com. The president will take the stage before an audience of approximately 250 young people representing a broad cross-section of backgrounds, interests and political viewpoints. **What concerns do you have for your country, for your schools? What do you think the president should be paying attention to? What questions would you ask him?** [|Join the discussion] //Posted 10/8/2010//

A new PSA for **Cyndi Lauper's** Give a Damn Campaign debuted Monday night, in hopes of eliminating instances of anti-gay bullying in the wake of incidents such as last week's suicide by a Rutgers college freshman after classmates outed him. In it, they recite jarring stats pointing to the epidemic of anti-gay bullying, such as the 7,783 incidents of hate crimes that were reported to the FBI just two years ago (the true number is actually believed to be much higher, since many incidents go unreported).

[|Join the discussion] //Posted 10/5/2010//
 * Would you rather hear these messages from celebrities, or from regular people? Which are more relatable? Who do you want to hear from and why?**

Obama encourages girl in fight against bullying: But Who Do You Think Should Lead the Fight Against this Rising Epidemic?
When faced with bullies at school, one 11-year-old Zianey Stokes of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania decided not to fight back with her fists. Instead, she

[[image:http://www.familyplace.org/view.image?Id=660 width="181" height="172" align="right"]]
sought help from a higher source: She wrote to President Barack Obama.To her surprise, the president replied to the letter personally.

In his reply, Obama said he was glad she wrote to share her story. "Your letter demonstrates a desire to change the culture of your classroom as well as your community....Bullying, whether in person or online ... is never OK. All of us must recognize that our shared experience and our unique differences are what make this nation so special," the letter reads. **But what is it going to take to stop bullying? Who is responsible for leading the fight against this rising epidemic?** //Posted 10/1/2010//

[|Share your opinion]

Demi Lovato's Anti Bullying Message On America's Next Top Model - What is YOUR Anti-Bullying Message?
Yesterday Disney star Demi Lovato joined the set of America's Next Top Model to spread a very important message about anti-bullying. The wannabe models were about to commence an anti-bullying photo shoot when Demi appeared to give the girls some advice and inspiration for the shoot.

Demi's a spokesperson for **www.teensagainstbullying.org** and was keen to give the Top Model contestants tips on how to stop teen bullying, being comfortable in their own skin, and accepting their body the way it is. The brunette beauty also shared her own experiences of being bullied and advice on what to do if you're attacked. Click on video to the right for more info.

//posted 09/25/2010//
[|Join the discussion]

A new school year is exciting. There's that wonderful feeling of making a fresh start, catching up with old friends, and making progress by moving up a grade. But there's no denying that it can be stressful too. If you find yourself preparing for school by hoping for the best and imagining the worst, you're not alone. A recent survey conducted by TeenHealth.org found that 32% of teens were worried about schoolwork, 30% about social issues, 3% extracurricular issues, 25% appearance issues and 10% said nothing was worrying them about going back to school.

posted 09/03/2010
[| Share your opinion]

Kids around the country are gearing up to head back to the classroom. Some of you are probably excited to go back, some maybe not so much.

//** What are you MOST looking forward to in the new school year? What are you LEAST looking forward to? **//

//posted 08/25/2010//

 * Share your opinion NOW** **and become part of the discussion****: [|CLICK HERE]**

[[image:uncreativeteen.jpg width="142" height="184" align="right"]]
Researchers say "creativity should be taken out of the art room and put into homeroom," but with school districts insisting that there isn't time for creative classes, there's really no change in sight. (Newsweek)

//** Are teens today lacking creativity? AND, can creativity be taught? **//

//posted 07/13/2010//
Curious what your creative IQ is? Take a creativity test.
 * Share your opinion NOW** **and become part of the discussion****: [|CLICK HERE]**


 * Check out these articles on today's question to spark some conversation:**media type="custom" key="6536611" align="right"

from //Newsweek//
posted 07/13/2010

//"Just as an IQ test tracks intelligence, the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking measures your CQ: how well you think creatively. Usually a 90-minute series of discrete tasks administered by a psychologist, the Torrance Test is not a perfect measure of creativity...////"//

====The Creativity Crisis====

from //Newsweek//
posted 07/13/2010

//"Creativity has always been prized in American society, but it’s never really been understood. While our creativity scores decline unchecked, the current national strategy for creativity consists of little more than praying for a Greek muse to drop by our houses. The problems we face now, and in the future, simply demand that we do more than just hope for inspiration to strike. Fortunately, the science can help: we know the steps to lead that elusive muse right to our doors.//..."

//** Should your parents have open access to your email and online accounts? **//


 * Share your opinion NOW** **and become part of the discussion****: [|CLICK HERE]**


 * Check out these articles on today's question to spark some conversation:**

====Son Gets Mom Charged With Harassment Over Facebook Account Hijacking====

from the //uh,-is-that-harassment-or-hacking?// dept
posted 04/09/2010

//"According to some, the son had left a computer where he was logged in, and the mother access his account that way....But, alas, it appears that in Arkansas, where this is taking place, is one of those states that has passed some sort of cyberbullying/cyberharassment law that make it illegal 'to harass, annoy or alarm another person without good cause....'"//

====Why Should You Be Concerned about MySpace and Other Such Sites? ==== Get the scoop on exactly what information you are broadcasting to the world! posted 02/16/2009

====Should parents have teens' Myspace and Facebook passwords?==== 60% say YES (671 votes) 40% say NO (406 votes)

=
//"Control does not win with teens. Teens are like sand....In your hand, if you squeeze too tightly, sand runs through your finger quickly, but if you cup it, without pressure or force, you can hold that sand all day...."//======

Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds posted 01/20/2010

=
//"When parents hear about online dangers, some may want to either ignore the problems or turn off their computers. And when children face a potential threat online, they would often rather deal with the threat on their own than ask for help from a parent or other trusted adult...."//======


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