Hey Mom and Dad: What Curfews Do You Set for Your Teens?

Parents, Patch wants to hear from you on the questions that get families talking.

Welcome to "Hey Mom and Dad"—a weekly feature in which we ask our Facebook fans to share their views on parenting. Every week, we get the conversation started by taking a look back at a question we asked parents the week before on Patch Facebook pages from around the area. Most teens love to stay out late with their friends, a habit upon which many parents prefer to keep a certain degree of limitations. Mom and Dad tend to know better about when their kids need to get some sleep, after all—and when there's liable to be less reason to be out. Which brings us to this week's question: What curfews have you set for your teenage children, and how do you enforce them? Take a look at what people had to say and join the conversation in the …

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Glenbard Parent Series: 'Dirt' Gives Voice to Kids Who Feel Unheard, Isolated

Through the use of characters, John Morello addresses issues teens face including drugs, bullying and personal choices.

From Glenbard District 87 Through his raucous character study drawn from personal experience, John Morello gives voice to those who feel unheard, and gives hope to those who feel isolated, underscoring the message that no one is alone. Touching on issues such as drugs, bullying and personal choices, the presentation has garnered high praise.    The next Glenbard Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Parenting presents actor and comedian John Morello in a performance of his one-man show  "Dirt" at 7 p.m. Feb. 20, in at Glenbard East High School. Community members, parents and students are encouraged to come to the free evening presentation, which is appropriate for middle school through adult audiences. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for a let’s talk …

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Save the Date: Parent Series Addresses Why (Yes) Your Teen is Crazy

The Glenbard Parent Series will offer two workshops Dec. 4 from speaker Michael Bradley, a clinical psychologist. He will help parents understand why teens are the way they are.

From Glenbard District 87 The Glenbard Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Parenting will present two workshops with popular author and speaker Michael Bradley, a clinical psychologist, an award-winning author and a charismatic speaker and the author of  "Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy!" Yes, Your Teen is Crazy: Loving Your Teen Without Losing Your Mind will be presented at 7 p.m., Dec. 4, in the auditorium at Glenbard North, 990 N. Kuhn Road in Carol Stream. Brave New World 2012: Overcoming Challenges in Working with Today's Teens will be presented from noon to 2 p.m., Dec. 4, in the auditorium at Glenbard South, 23 W 200 Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn. Workshop attendees will learn real-world strategies and methods they can put to use to achieve …

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Glenbard Parent Series Takes on Teen Social Skills in an Internet Era

Expert Michelle Garcia Winner will make a presentation at the next Glenbard Parent Series program being held Thursday.

Parenting has always been a challenge, but at a time when kids are increasingly interacting by texting or chatting online, the challenge can be even greater. The lack of face-to-face interaction can affect how a child’s social skills and thinking develop. The Glenbard Parent Series’ next program on Thursday will address this issue, with a presentation from Michelle Garcia Winner, an expert in the field of social skills. “This is a talk that is going to appeal to all parents,” said Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community project’s coordinator . “It’s a good follow up to the bully program [held in August], because this is the child who may be easily isolated.” In this program, Michelle Garcia Winner will explore the basic …

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Special Delivery

Club donates diapers to help out an area nonprofit.

Awaiting the birth of a child takes a lot of preparation and a lot of needed supplies. One of which, as every parent knows, is diapers. As part of its “Project Layette,” Glen Ellyn Junior Woman’s Club members will answer the call as they donate diapers and other baby items to Teen Parent Connection this Thursday during a member’s only meeting.  Teen Parent Connection is a Glen Ellyn-based nonprofit which educates clients ages 12 -22 about the responsibilities of teenage pregnancy by providing long-term assistance to adolescent parents via programs focusing on self-esteem development, parenting skills and self-sufficiency. Sites are located in Carol Stream, Naperville, Clarendon Hills, Addison, Villa Park and West Chicago. Created in 1948, …

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This Week at the Library

Teens Rule at the Library

Where's the coolest place for teens in Glen Ellyn? The library. Seriously? Seriously!

Right now I’m sitting at the Reference Desk listening to the hubbub created by a full house of high school students “studying” for finals. The library is a buzzing beehive and will continue to be until 10:00, the extra hour reserved for students only. At five o’clock staff members will start serving snacks and coffee in the meeting room. Thus fortified, the kids will mosey on upstairs. Our job tonight is to keep the volume down to a dull roar. Though noticeable certainly, considering the sheer number of kids, the noise level isn't all that bad. Apologies to any unsuspecting non-students who wander in. It happens only twice a year. One of the many challenges a public library faces is how to serve the young adult population, ages 12-18 as …