COULEE CONSUMER: Who is more important to teens -- parents or peers?

In addition, friends are a much-needed source of social support during adolescence and can serve as a protective factor against teen depression and suicide.Parental opportunities to influence their child's friendship choices occur before, as well as throughout, adolescence. Parents can influence their children's friendship choices by where they choose to live, the schools they choose for their children to attend, their parenting practices and the values they instill in their children from the earliest stages of life.All these parental choices can have a powerful and lasting (although indirect) influence on the friends that their children choose during the adolescent years.Parents faced with the unique challenges presented by their child's adolescence can benefit from new knowledge and learning specific to that age period � as well as support from others experiencing similar issues.Stephen Small, human development and family relations specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension and director of the UW-Madison Center for Excellence in Family Studies and Rebecca Mather, a UW-Madison graduate student are conducting a study of parents of preteens and teens age 11-16 who are interested in learning more about raising teenagers.

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Updated 10/7: PEP gives encouragement, guidance to parents

In the beginning, PEP consisted of roughly 15 parents, who got together to discuss issues such as teen drinking, depression and discipline, as well as how to maintain a good relationship with their teens.

Over time, PEP decided it would be productive to bring in professionals to contribute to the group. McClain began talking with District 86 Superintendent Nicholas Wahl, who openly accepted PEP into the district's Parent Teacher Organization last fall.

"District 86 is a big proponent of reaching out not just to students, but to the entire school community to promote lifelong learning," Wahl said.

With Wahl's help, PEP was able to recruit speakers who touched on topics such as addiction, the raising of capable teens in the 21st century and the joys of parenting.

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The Family Counselling Centre

The agency's counselling programs address a broad range of areas including depression, work-related issues, child behaviour, relationship issues, family violence, problem solving and conflict resolution.

Among the agency's programs focusing on family violence are Side by Side - a group program for children and mothers who have experienced abuse in their families, For Me and My Mom - a counselling program for child witnesses of domestic abuse, and the Partner Assault Response Program - a group program for men who have been abusive to their partners.

The Family Counselling Centre's employee assistance programs offer professional, confidential counselling for organizations that helps employees and their families deal with personal and work-related concerns. Health and wellness education and management training for supervisors and employers is also offered.

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