'Tis the Season (or nearly the season) for heavy marketing of all that's "in vogue" in teen fashion, pastimes, and overall trends. The short skirts, low-cut shirts and singers and dolls that make them popular are touted as the main reasons many of our young girls are growing up so fast. But recent research has pointed a finger in a different direction: toward home.

"New research released last week in the journal Child Development found evidence that a family's harmony - how it interacts, addresses conflict and offers support and involvement - correlates with how soon a girl reaches puberty…Girls who hit puberty earlier are more at risk for mood disorders, substance abuse, teen pregnancy and even reproductive cancers as a result of early sexual activity."

The study tracked 227 families and found a marked difference in how soon a girl reached maturity based on parental involvement, stability of resources, and the family's ability to appropriately resolve differences.

If your teenage daughter is heading down the wrong path - either by experimenting with drugs, alcohol, or sex - get her the help she needs at Copper Canyon Academy. Copper Canyon is an all girls school that offers therapy in addition to college prep academics.

Labels: family, maturity, trends