Communication: The Key to Success!

How do you communicate? Are you assertive or aggressive? Being assertive can be healthy and positive. Being aggressive is not.

Assertive behavior shows that you have self-confidence and you respect others. As an assertive teen, you are more likely to stand up for your rights and less likely to be bullied. An assertive teen is willing to discuss, compromise, and wait while the other person thinks about their response.

Teens may act out in a violent way. Sometimes it’s because it is hard to express fear or aggravation.  An aggressive teen stands up for himself in ways that violate the rights of others. It can involve actions like pushing, hitting, biting, kicking, or hair-pulling. It can even involve much more dangerous actions.

So how can you communicate better?

• look people in the eye
• hold your body upright (don't slouch)
• relax your shoulders
• try to breathe normally and
• speak at a normal volume

This will show confidence. It will also show maturity to the person you are talking to. If you breathe normally and don't raise your voice, it will help keep your conversation from becoming an argument.

Finally, remember to:

• always think before you speak
• listen to others ideas and
• be respectful of differences in opinion

Source: Military School Alternatives - www.militaryschoolalternatives.com

Your Pearly Whites

One of the first things people notice about you is your smile. A bright white smile is a sign of good health. It can be embarrassing if your teeth have started to turn yellow or dark. Everyone’s teeth get darker as they get older due to staining from what we eat and drink. Coffee, tea, and sodas as well as dark juices like blueberry and cranberry can all stain the teeth. Cigarettes and chewing tobacco will cause your teeth to darken very quickly.

To help prevent teeth from changing color, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day. It can also help to brush your teeth right after eating or drinking something that might stain your teeth. Drinking coffee, soda, or tea through a straw can help reduce contact between the drink and your teeth. You also should not smoke or chew tobacco. The nicotine found in cigarettes and chewing tobacco will quickly stain teeth, in addition to possibly causing oral cancer.

You should be very careful when you think about whitening your teeth. You can buy products in stores, but most are not approved by the American Dental Association.  Your dentist may also offer teeth whitening. This is not covered by TennDent or most insurance companies because it does not make your teeth healthier. There can also be side effects of teeth whitening. You might get gum irritation, uneven whiteness, an aching sensation, and sensitivity to hot or cold. You should talk to your dentist before you try any products to whiten your teeth. The best way to keep your teeth white is to avoid things that stain your teeth to begin with.

Sources: American Dental Association. www.ada.org and Simply Teeth Limited - www.simplyteeth.com

Be Wise - Immunize

Vaccines (shots) give you a healthy start in life. Teenagers are busy. There is not time in your schedule for illnesses. Shots are one way to help keep you well. Getting shots on time is important. Even if shots are accidentally missed, it is still very important to get them. So, remember, the key to staying healthy is to get regular checkups and shots. All TENNderCare checkups and immunizations are FREE for BlueCare/TennCareSelect members. Check with your doctor about what shots you need.

Social Networking and Teen Stress

Social networking sites are a common way of life today. It is a major form of communication for teens and a very big part of a teen’s social life. Social networking can be helpful in a few ways. For example, a shy teen might be able to make friends online easier than in person. Teens have busy schedules so it’s much easier to connect with people online when time doesn’t allow for face-to-face contact. Handling stress from peer pressure at school can be frightening for some teens, so being able to talk online doesn't cause as much stress for teens. All of these are benefits of social networking.

However, there are downfalls to social networking. Building close face-to-face friendships helps develop trust. When you have face-to-face contact, you are able to see someone’s body language. This helps you determine the tone of a conversation. However with “Cyber” friendships, it’s easy to misinterpret someone’s chat.

Online friendships tend to be more casual than real life friendships. This lack of ability to communicate effectively in real life situations can cause you stress as you develop into a young adult. Technical skills are very valuable in today’s society, but the ability to have face-to-face human contact is also very important.

Teens need to stay connected with real life social activities, develop close friends from school, and take time for social activities and sports. These actions will help combat teen stress. It will also help you maintain a balance in your life. A life staring at a computer screen or watching your phone can lead to isolation from the real world.

So keep your social networking safe by:

Watching the privacy settings. Guard your social networking privacy so that information that you do not want shared, is not shared.

Choosing friends carefully. Teens do not have to be “friends” with everyone. You should only connect with people you know.

Watching what you post. Never post anything on a website that you would not want the public to see or know.  Information shared through social networking has a way of becoming permanent. Even if deleted, the file may exist somewhere

Not giving out personal information. Never post a home address or telephone number, or post a time and place of private parties that you will be attending. Predators prowl these sites and search for innocent teens to become their prey.

Source: StressManagement4Women.com - www.stress-management-4-women.com

Do you have a Medical Home?

BlueCare/TennCareSelect encourages the use of a medical home. Do you know what a medical home is? A medical home is more than just a place. A medical home is the main place where your primary care is provided.

As a teen, you are beginning to learn how to take responsibility for your own health. Before, your parent or responsible adult made all of the decisions about your medical care. Now, you are becoming an adult. You should begin deciding about your own physical and mental health. Remember, it should be a process that slowly allows you to increase your responsibility. This will help you make wise choices.

To begin increasing your responsibility:

• Ask to take a few minutes to speak privately with your doctor
• Take more responsibility in making your medical appointments
• Involve yourself in decisions regarding exams, tests and treatments

This will help you develop the skills that are needed to manage your healthcare during the adult years.