Writing with a panel of 30 teenagers, Lauren Forcella, a mother of four and founder of Teens-Matter, brings you directly into the world of teens. Her column appears every Sunday in Lifestyles.
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Straight Talk TNT: Tweens 'n Twenties
- Son's Internet romance worries Dad
- Dear Straight Talk: My oldest, age 15, is in a long-term, long-distance relationship with "the one." He is constantly asking to visit her. I have concerns about the level of supervision there (every interaction has involved questionable decisions by ... Full story
- On the first day of Christmas, my true love stole for me
- Dear Straight Talk: I am writing about my friend. She has a problem with shoplifting, maybe even an addiction. I would like to help her stop before she gets caught because she is over 18 and it will result in a criminal record. I have known her for ... Full story
- Mother asks: Are my curfew, dating rules too strict?
- Dear Straight Talk: My 17-year-old daughter has a serious, almost-18-year-old boyfriend. She says I'm too restrictive. I feel a midnight curfew is reasonable, and she may not go to his home since I don't know if an adult will be there. Plus, her boyf... Full story
- Young people envision a better world
- Dear Readers: Each new year, I ask the panelists: What bugs you most about the world? How would you make the world better? Last week's "better world" column covered concerns about how digital networking has diminished face-to-face interactions, depth... Full story
- Young people lament downside of digital age
- Dear Readers: What bugs you most about the world? How would you make the world better? Every winter, I pose these questions to the panel. This year, technology took a bruising. Real relationships, thinking deeply, embracing boredom and lamenting the... Full story
- The best party favors are to stay sober, keep each other safe
- Dear Straight Talk: I attend high school parties but don't usually drink or use drugs. Recently, a girl chugged vodka. Everyone was drinking except me, so nobody thought much of it. After 10 minutes, her limbs went limp and she couldn't walk, yet she... Full story
- Girl raped while passed out from drinking
- Dear Straight Talk: I am helping a friend in my dorm through a terrible experience. She passed out from drinking at a party and was put in a bedroom to sleep it off. She woke up in pain with somebody on top of her. It was like a bad dream that ended ... Full story
- Generous aunt gets no thanks
- Dear Straight Talk: Each year, I give my niece and nephew an expensive gift of something they want or need. I often include money. If I'm there for the holidays, they say thank you, but I have never once received a thank-you letter. I know young peo... Full story
- Dad's inappropriate touching embitters daughter
- Dear Straight Talk: I'm 17 and lucky to have an involved dad who believes in his kids. But he finds a way to pat my bottom or touch me closer to my chest than I am comfortable with any boy doing. Because of this, I avoid standing next to him or touch... Full story
- Young people share their holiday gift wishes
- Dear Readers: It's time again for Straight Talk's annual shopping list — direct from the source. I'm always hoping Santa will "think outside the box" (literally) and scratch video games, computers and TVs for the bedroom and anything else that ... Full story
