Eight Top Teen Health Hazards

She suggests that parents themselves get tech savvy so they know what's going on. "Parents need to get educated, and they need to set up ground rules from a very early age with their teenagers," she says. "They need to decide how old is appropriate for a My Space page." Kids officially need to be 14, but Burningham found many who had them when they were younger. Parents who install parental spyware on teens' computers to monitor where they roam in cyberspace should tell the teenager it's there so that they "approach the Web with caution," she says. "They need to be upfront about it ...You want your teenager to trust you." Don't go behind teens' backs to read their e-mail (it's private), and tell them you're planning to read their blogs (even though they're a different issue since they're public).

6. Cigarettes and Booze. You may think kids know that you don't want them drinking or smoking, but it's worth saying again. "If you haven't had that discussion, you should," says Burningham. "Those are bad for teenagers. They're illegal. If something is illegal, you should not be doing it."

7. Sleep It Up. Teens need at least eight hours of shut-eye but often don't get it. Consider limiting sleepovers to just one per weekend. Girls in particular love sleepovers because "they're a big social thing," says Burningham. "[But] they get tired. Everyone gets worn down." Implement curfews, too. More than 90 percent of the teens Burningham talked to had a midnight curfew. She sees no need reason to be out later. "You need your sleep," she says. Also, parents and teens need to talk about shutting off cell phones at night. Burningham spent a night with her younger sister—and woke up three times because people sent text messages. "I was exhausted," she says.

8. Wheel Advice. Parents need to talk about wearing a seatbelt and being a responsible driver. Burningham notes that rapper Kanye West, who was in a car crash, is alive because he was wearing a seatbelt and even tells people, "thank God I'm not too cool for the safety belt." And don't be shy about reminding them to wear a helmet when biking or skateboarding.

For more tips, see Burningham's Web site.

© 2008