Check out this website to find a summer camp that is close to where you live and fits the description of what you are looking for. There are tons of different summer camps to choose from, each targeting different teens.
Feeling Depressed?
So you realize that you are depressed, but where to go from here? Check out this website to learn a ton of information on self-help and coping tips to deal with depression. Just a glimpse into the broad categories that this website includes…
Depression self-help tip 1: Cultivate supportive relationships
Depression self-help tip 2: Take care of yourself
Depression self-help tip 3: Get regular exercise
Depression self-help tip 4: Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet
Depression self-help tip 5: Challenge negative thinking
Depression self-help tip 6: Raise your emotional intelligence
Depression self-help tip 7: Know when to get additional help
Click here to read all of the detailed information the website provides, and how to go about applying the tips that are mentioned above into your life.
Good luck!
Camp Ronald McDonald® at Eagle Lake
August 7–12, 2011
Participants: 92 special needs youth
Ages: 8–18
“Since 1992 Camp Ronald McDonald® at Eagle Lake has been putting smiles on children’s faces each summer. This 35 acre, fully accessible camp welcomes nearly 1,000 campers with disabilities and disadvantages each year. This ‘special place for special children’ opens up a world of possibilities for children through arts and crafts, water sports, group activities and so much more.”
To learn more information, click here and check out the website!
My brother always makes fun of my weight
I am 15 and I am over weight. I never thought my own brother would be the one to be mean to me about it. He asks my mom why I am big. And always says that I am fat. Or if I get in a pool i might sink. And He doesn’t just say it around me, he says it around family,friends, at events. And all my mom says is (name removed) DON’T. It is making me feel HORRIBLE and along with other stuff that has happened make the feeling to want to leave home even stronger. I don’t really want to go to a counseler or talk to anybody about it because they might say “Yes oh you poor dear” or “just ignore it, and try to work through it” EVEN WORSE “Maybe you need to talk to your parents about it!” YUCK! So I need some ideas on what to do and what to say to him (my brother). It seems like this is slowly killing me inside. Please Answer my questions! =/
Dear Makenzie,
Thank you for contacting YouthLine. We know you must be having a difficult time with this and are really glad that you reached out for help. Try not to be discouraged by your brother’s words. We think that it might help if you try to calmly sit your brother down and explain how you feel when he calls you fat. Let him know that it really hurts when he says stuff like that, and that your weight is a sensitive spot that you don’t want to be teased about. Tell him that you are just like any other girl, and there are some things he cannot say because they cross the line. Just because you are his sister and part of his family does not mean that he can treat you without respect. Try to be firm and calm, but don’t get mad at your brother.
You could also try talking to your counselor. Even though you think that they will not give you good advice, it is worth a shot and you may be surprised to find that it helped. Counselors are there to help you work out your problems and some counselors are actually really good. Talking to a counselor, you could be sure that the conversation would be confidential and would stay between the two of you. I know you mentioned you had other issues that made you want to leave home even more. I don’t know what they are, but it is important to stay positive and take care of yourself- both physically and mentally. We care about how you are feeling and would love to talk to you in more detail about any other conflicts in your life that are making you want to move out.
You can also look at this site to learn more about body image: http://www.girlshealth.gov/feelings/sad/bodyimage.cfm.
and this site for some techniques for helping you cope with the stress in your life: http://www.rd.com/health/37-stress-management-tips/
Again, you can always call YouthLine, tell us about your problems and talk it out with us. Teens are available to take YouthLine calls from 4-9 PM Monday through Thursday. Our number is 1-877-968-8491; if you ever need to talk, please call us!
Good luck Makenzie!
-YouthLine
Military teens check this out!
MILITARY TEENS 14-18 YEARS OLD!
Click here to learn about opportunities to participate in adventure camps scheduled through April, 2012. “These high energy, high adventure, and high experience camps are planned across the United States from Alaska to Maine and from Colorado to Georgia as well as states in between. This is the perfect chance for you to experience the outdoors as you never have before!”
Great website for teen girls!
Check out this website to find a ton of information on many issues that you could be facing as you grow up. This site targets girls between the ages of 10 to 16, but contains information that could be useful for girls of any age! Some of the information you will find on this site is information on changes that could be happening with your body and questions you may have, information on fitness and nutrition, illness and disability, drugs and alcohol, relationships, bullying, healthy ways to handle stress and anxiety, and much much more! Does anyone have any healthy coping mechanisms that you have found to work well when under a lot of stress? (such as reading a book or going for a walk) Please share! =)