With professional sports contracts paying out millions of dollars for each player every year, a kid’s dreams can bring him fame and a pretty big fortune. But only if he is successful at beating out every other kid with the same dream. Out of the 1,500 or so active professional football players, there are maybe millions of kids who dream of being a great pro quarterback. With those odds, kids, sometimes coaches, and sometimes even parents begin looking for an edge for their child. Even though they are illegal to use more and more kids are turning to steroids to give them the edge they are looking for.

Steroids are hormone drugs that make athletes stronger and more muscular. This is an obvious advantage on the football field. Kids realize that their high school sports years are when college recruiters are going to make offers to the best players to play on a college team. Being recruited by a major college means that the player will get not only a free ride scholarship to the college but will play on a great team and then maybe get a job on a pro team. This is true for high school baseball, soccer, and hockey team players too. Kids are sometimes introduced to steroids as young as junior high school and sometimes the pressure to be the best makes the steroids too hard to resist. Also, some kids are given silent permission to use steroids by their coaches and parents because these adults may recognize the signs that a teen is using steroids but not do anything about it.

Steroid use can cause some pretty complicated side effects. Young men who use steroids can become larger and more muscular very quickly. They can also have bad acne breakouts, they can be shaky, have bad body odor, mood swings, and become aggressive and hard to get along with. For girls, using steroids can make them moody, and give them facial hair and a deeper voice. Unfortunately, many of these things are present during the teen years anyway. Some of the more scary side effects are heart damage, liver damage, and shrinking of the testicles.

Even over the counter steroids have side effects. Protein drinks and steroid powders are available in health food stores and kids have easy access to these products. Since teen steroid users are not done growing the damage that steroids do can mean much more to them than to adults. Even over the counter steroids can cause kidney damage and heart damage.

As many as thirty million kids play a sport in this country and up to 11 percent of those kids have at least tried steroids. Steroids are a drug and using them is illegal. Sometimes kids are introduced to steroids by their coach. There have been some recent stories in the news about coaches who gave their players steroids or who suggested that the player give steroids a try to become a better player. Most often, another player introduces them to the drug either because the user brags about using steroids or a weaker player befriends the stronger one and the steroid user shares his secret.

Because steroid use has become such a problem for teenagers, parents, coaches and other adults are taking steps to stop the use of steroids. Some students learn about using steroids in health class. Some schools require that their students who play sports attend a lecture about steroid use in sports. And some other schools pass out a flyer or a pamphlet about steroid use to sports team members. Even the National Football League has become involved in teaching kids not to use steroids to enhance their sports performance. These organizations have developed an approach of education to keep kids from trying steroids or to get them off steroids once they have started. Kids know that if they are caught using steroids, they can get kicked off of their sports team. But they also know that if they take steroids, they can be bigger, stronger and play better than some other players and that they have a better chance of winning.

For years kids have been learning that smoking, drinking and drugs are not good for them. But kids still continue to smoke, drink and do drugs. Even adults smoke, drink and do drugs. Some people say that teaching kids that these things are wrong is all that is needed to keep them from doing it. Other people say that if adults, mostly parents, don’t smoke drink or do drugs, kids won’t do it either. Since kids are still smoking, drinking, and doing drugs, including steroids, it’s obvious that this approach is not really working. Education will work for some kids, but it obviously doesn’t work well enough. The only way to get the majority of kids off of steroids is to perform random drug testing for high school sports team members. Since steroids are still an issue even after years of education and millions of dollars spent of getting the word out, it’s obvious that kids need a stricter sports environment.

If random drug testing for teen sports players is done along with a program of education, we are bound to catch the majority of steroid users soon after they start. Maybe in areas where steroid use is really a problem, mandatory testing can be done on a regular basis. Once kids see that high school sports programs are serious about keeping steroid use out of high school sports, the use will probably decrease even more than with education alone. There will probably always be some kids who will try to get away with using steroids and a system has to be put together to handle those kids also.

Once an athlete has tested positive for steroids, a policy of zero tolerance can evict him from sports for a period of the rest of the school year. He can be welcome to try out again for the team the following year. The policy should include a three strikes and your out policy too. Once a player has tested positive three times, he won’t be allowed to play school sports again. Professional sports should be even tougher. Any player caught using steroids should be banned from the game forever. By educating, enforcing and treating the use of steroids, high school sports should become steroid free.

Rebecca J. Stigall is a full-time freelance writer, author, and editor with a background in psychology, education, and sales. She has written extensively in the areas of self-help, relationships, psychology, health, business, finance, real estate, fitness, academics, and much more! Rebecca is a highly sought after ghostwriter with clients worldwide, and offers her services through her website at http://www.forewordcommunications.com/.

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People don’t generally give sleep much thought. Up too late the night before? Have a cup of coffee or an energy drink. But those solutions don’t work for your kids. What to do? There’s only one answer: find the time for your children to get the sleep they need. With that in mind, here’s an article about sleep written just for kids. It probably wouldn’t hurt you to read it, too!

“Everyone sleeps. It’s how your body recharges itself so you’ll be ready to get up tomorrow feeling rested, healthy, and strong. Most kids between the ages of 8 and 12 need about 10 hours of sleep every night. The older you get, the less sleep you need. If you’re between 13 and 17 you’ll need about 9 hours. And, if you’re 18 or older, 8 hours should do it.

But, between after-school activities, homework, and everything else going on, it’s hard to find time to get the sleep your body needs. Try hard, though, because sleep is very important to your health. You need sleep so you can be your best at school, at sports, and in life.

Every once in a while, you may find that you can’t fall asleep. There’s usually a good reason. It could be a test at school you’re worried about, or something someone said that hurt or angered you. As you lie in bed you may keep thinking about it over and over in your head. And guess what happens? You can’t go to sleep. Think the problem through and talk to someone about it. Even if the problem can’t be solved, just talking it out will help you relax and get some sleep.

It’s also possible you’re too hot, too cold, too hungry, or too crowded in bed to fall asleep. Turn on a fan if you’re hot. Put socks on if you’re cold. Eat a light snack if you’re hungry. And make sure your bed isn’t jammed with so much stuff there’s no room for you. If none of that works, try this technique to fall asleep: First, start with your toes and concentrate on completely relaxing them. When your toes are relaxed, do the same for your feet. Then, one at a time, do your ankles, legs, hands, and arms. Before you know it, you’ll be sound asleep.

Here are some more tips to sleep by. They always work!

• Play hard and eat right during the day.
• After dinner, limit foods and drinks that contain caffeine, like chocolate and sodas.
• Don’t watch scary TV shows or play action video games close to bedtime because they can make it hard to sleep.
• Organize yourself and take the pressure off the next morning by packing your lunch, laying out your clothes, collecting your homework, and getting your backpack ready.
• Go to bed around the same time every night; this helps your body get on a schedule.
• Floss, brush, and take a warm shower every night; this tells your body it’s time for bed.
• Tune out the noise when it’s time to fall asleep. Turn off your MP3 player, computer, and TV.
• Get comfortable in bed.
• Relax. Think about things that make you happy.”

Author and publisher, Frank Hawkins, is passionate about helping young people grow up healthy and wise. It’s no surprise, then, that he co-founded Boy’s Guide Books in 2007 to do just that. What started out as a single book Frank wrote for his son has turned into a popular and respected series of “how-to” books trusted by young men and women everywhere.

Boy’s Guide Books publishes “how-to” books for children and teens. Through our books, blog, and social network, we offer practical, straightforward, no-nonsense information and advice about health, hygiene, fitness, nutrition, and everything in-between.

Give the gift of knowledge. http://boysguidebooks.com

Visit our blog Growing Up Smart. http://boysguidebooks.blogspot.com

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The school today was for students who were expelled completely from their district’s school system. While a couple of them were booted because of behavior problems, and because of attendance records that were so bad they were just wasting everyone’s time, the largest percentage of these kids were there as a result of substance abuse. Even the usual “last chance” school is a step above this one. I have attended this type of facility so many times that I really have gotten to know the kids and I have to say I really like them.

They are in trouble, that is for sure, but most of them can work their ways back into the main High School with a little effort. And most of them do. The turn over is high at these schools; I visited this same school just about 8 months ago, and out of 40 students, only 4 or 5 had been there when I last spoke. The rest had either dropped out or worked their ways back in to the regular continuation school or to the main high school, which is only about three blocks away.

There will always be a familiarity with drugs in these facilities that is above the usual high school awareness, but it is rarely a higher understanding.

Too often students feel that because they are familiar with the drugs, they actually understand them. That is a very dangerous misconception.

Experience with a drug may actually put the user at a higher danger level with regards to that drug as well as other drugs.

The first time a kid take a pill, or whatever drug, they tend to be cautious and often will only try a small amount to avoid overdosing. But once the first try goes off without a hitch, without any real problems, the tendency is to believe that drug to be safe and they often take a larger dose the next time out. After a few times without any scary episodes, they feel confident that there is very little danger in it and that risky behavior becomes reckless behavior.

The students I spoke to today were fun, and after some initial resistance, our discussion about the drugs they are seeing (and using) became very open and informative. You could see surprise on their faces as we discussed what is actually in some of the stuff they are abusing in the streets.

As is usually the case, a percentage of this particular population is already addicted to getting high. Even if they are not addicted to any particular drug, they are hooked on being “bent”, they do not want to be straight anymore. For those students, the only real option is treatment in a detox rehab facility that will not just continue their destructive, “drugs are the answer” behavior patterns.

But I could see there were quite a few of them who were making choices right in front of my eyes-choices that will lead them away from the drug scene. I could see it in their faces and in the surveys they filled out after I finally shut up, two hours later. This amounted to, after a fashion, high school intervention.

Here are a few of the comments from those surveys:

“I can use this to teach my friends and little brother to prevent them from messing up their lives.”

“I thought the talk was very informative and Tony explained drugs better than I have ever heard. It never put people down for being addicted like I have seen in the past. My thoughts changed dramatically.”

“I thought this talk to me and the other students was really good because now we know more about what is in drugs and what it can do to you. I can use this by telling friends about it.”

Tony Bylsma CCDC, is a rehabilitation counselor and drug prevention speaker in Los Angeles. More information is available at his website: http://www.TheRoadOut.org Or blog: http://www.detoxrehab.org

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On Saturday, July 17, 2010 the NWCCF in association with Gibson’s Auto Tech in Pleasant Run will be hosting the “Soap it up & Eat for the Cause of Cancer Car Wash & Cookout”

They’re seeking volunteers of all ages to help out at the event for first shift 9-1pm and second shift 12-5pm. If you’re interested in lending a hand, please contact Volunteer Coordinators Tiara at 513-324-6439 after 5pm or Jenior at 961-1485.

Quick Info:

What: Soap it up & Eat for the Cause of Cancer Car Wash & Cookout

Date: Saturday, July 17, 2010

Time: 10am to 5pm

Where: Gibson’s Auto Tech, 11910 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45231

Contact: Volunteer Coordinators – Tiara at 513-324-6439 (after 5pm) or Jenior at 961-1485

Website: http://www.freewebs.com/nwccf

About the NWCCF:

The purpose and mission of the National Women of Colors Cancer Foundation (NWCCF) is to enhance the quality of life for cancer survivors and their caregivers by stimulating moments of happiness in their lives. NWCCF raises awareness to promote greater participation to “Pampering the Spirit of Cancer Survivors.” Funds raised for this program allows us to respond to women and men of all races who are recent survivors of cancer (and their caregivers), who are facing the challenges of depression and hardships associated with their health. For more information about the National Women of Colors Cancer Foundation, visit their website http://www.freewebs.com/nwccf

Looking forward to your SUPPORT hope to see you there!

Write article for our foundation to help get the WORD OUT about what we do

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