Tired all the Time? For most teens, a busy schedule has already began taking its toll. Instead of getting rest, teens are pushing through their tiredness to get their homework done, practice finished and jobs accomplished. One thing teens are leaving out, which is a key factor in accomplishing their busy schedules with excellence, is sleep. According to sleepfoundation.org, only 20% of adolescents report that they get an optimal nine hours of sleep on school nights and nearly half say they actually sleep less than eight hours on school nights. There are some things parents can do to help teens understand the value of sleep and rest. First, help teens understand that their day actually begins when they go to sleep. Genesis 1:5 (NIV) states, "And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day." Starting the day off right means going to bed at a decent hour. Next, monitor what your teen does before he/she goes to bed. Watching TV, playing video games, or talking on their cell phone actually stimulates the brain and steals away some of those precious minutes of sleep. Encourage your teen to read or listen to music to calm the body down for a good night's sleep. Finally, watch how much coffee or caffeinated drinks your teen consumes in a day. Teens who drink two or more caffeinated drinks a day are much more likely to not sleep well at night (sleepfoundation.org). Lastly, remember that you teach your teens how much or how little you value sleep with the way you live. Make a real effort to break the cycle of living a ragged life and start living the restful life.   PulsePulsePulsePulsePulsePulsePulse How long does it take for a typical teen to fall asleep on most school nights? 25% - Less than 10 minutes 48% - 10 to 30 minutes 26% - 30 minutes or more (sleepfoundation.org)   Without an alarm clock, how late would your kids sleep? 0% - Up at dawn! 14% - 8-9 AM 21% - 9-10 AM 29% - 10–11 AM 36% - Noon and beyond! Sleep Deprived? According to sleepfoundation.org, your teen may be sleep deprived if he/she: *Has difficulty waking in the morning for school and yawns frequently throughout the day. *Is continuously late for class and has trouble getting out the door in the morning. *Can’t seem to get through the day without drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee and cola. *Is having difficulty in school or a teacher notices that he/she falls asleep in class periodically. *Is irritable, anxious and gets angry easily on days when he/she gets less sleep. *Runs from one activity to the next. He/she participates in extra-curricular activities, has a job and stays up late doing homework every night, cutting into sleep time. *Takes naps during the week for more than 45 minutes and “sleeps in” for two hours or longer on the weekends than on school nights.   THE PARENT POVPoint of View Having your teen talk about a disappointing event may be very difficult for them. It is important to listen to their answers after you ask about their feelings. Here are some questions to help start communication and thus the healing process: 1. Is there anything I can do for you right now? After this question, just hug them, cry with them, and listen. When the time is right, at that moment, or possibly after a few days, then ask the following questions: 2. Have I ever told you about the biggest disappointment in my life? Would you like me to tell you about it? 3. Is there anything you have learned through this whole situation? Would you like to discuss it now or just wait a little while?   GOD AND YOUR FAMILY Pray that: 1. God will help your family to find a balance between business and rest. 2. You, as parents, can lead by example in valuing rest and sleep in your everyday life. 3. God will take away the worries and cares of the next day and allow you and your family to rest in Him. 4. God will protect your family from careless mistakes and harmful situations because of lack of sleep.   VERSE OF THE MONTH "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 (NIV) One of the most common reasons parents cannot sleep is worry. There have been many a sleepless night spent worrying about family, job, decisions, and life. This verse is a great reminder that God will take care of every area of our lives. If the Lord can provide for the sparrows and clothe the lilies of the field, we certainly know He is going to take care of us. Verse 33 reminds us to seek Him FIRST. We need to seek Him first in our families, jobs, decisions, and lives. When we do this, God promises that all of these things will be given to us as well. Worrying does not add a day to our life, but it can certainly take some away. Let us begin today praying for God to remind us who He is and what He is to us. Then, and only then, will our worry turn into joy.   DID YOU KNOW... * Adolescents and teens with four or more electronic devices (T.V., phone, computer, music devices, etc.) in their bedrooms are much more likely to get insufficient sleep. (seattletimes.nwsource.com) * 80% of students who get the recommended amount of sleep are achieving A's and B's in school, while those who get less sleep are more likely to get lower grades. (cbsnews.com) * Researchers measured the presence of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin in teenagers' saliva. The melatonin levels rise later at night than they do in children and adults and remain at a higher level later in the morning. (washingtonpost.com) * At least once a week, 28 percent of high school students fall asleep in school, 22 percent nod off doing homework, and 14 percent arrive late or miss school because they oversleep. (indystar.com)   TRENDS According to neimanmarcus.com,  10 must-haves for young women: 1. Black/Gold Handbags  2. Red Accents  3. Belts 4. Tunics  5. White Shirts  6. Skinny Pants  7. Dresses 8. Gold Jewelry - and lots of it  9. Black Leggings  10. Boots & Booties   FilmWatch Employee of the Month - PG-13 For crude and sexual humor and language. Comedy The Departed - R For strong brutal violence pervasive language some strong sexual content and drug material. Drama Saw II - R For strong grisly violence and gore sequences of terror and torture nudity and language. Horror