New survey shows moms are prepared for the BIG talks about drugs, sex and alcohol.  

Find out why it’s the topics like self-confidence and hygiene they’re NOT so ready for!

July 20, 2011 - A new survey shows that parents are better prepared than you’d think to manage “the big conversations” with their kids.  In fact, moms confirmed that by the time their children are over the age of 10, they’ve already had the big talks – sex, drugs, alcohol – with their kids. Surprisingly, it’s the seemingly simpler, everyday health and hygiene questions that give moms the most anxiety! 

According to parenting expert Stacy DeBroff, these daily conversations are just as important as the big ones!  Self-esteem tied to physical appearance is one issue affecting a teen’s self-confidence and performance that can be difficult for mom to handle. Self confidence is key to socialization as well as performance in everything from academics to sports.  A simple discussion about acne care or the switch from glasses to contact lenses can be fraught with land mines if mom is not prepared.  Some moms find that having an expert to consult with can be the difference between a satisfying solution and slammed doors.  

In this video, DeBroff offers tips to help parents navigate the daily issues affecting today’s teens, and optometrist Shelly Toltz answers questions about one of the biggest parent/teen debates – glasses vs. contact lenses.

Stacy DeBroff is CEO and founder of Mom Central, Inc., a company devoted to providing pragmatic tips and savvy advice to strengthen busy families and enhance the home environment. Heralded as a “parenting guru” (Wall Street Journal), she reaches 40,000 Moms a month through her blog and over 80,000 moms who comprise her online audience.

Stacy is the author of several best-selling books on parenting and family organization including The Mom Book: 4,278 Tips for Moms, The Mom Book Goes to School: Insider Tips to Ensure Your Child Thrives, and The Ultimate Family Organizer.  

Stacy has appeared on national television including over a dozen segments on NBC’s Today Show, as well as The View, The Rachel Ray Show, Fox & Friends, The Daily Buzz, Fox Business, Bloomberg News, and the CBS Early Show, as well as on network television affiliates in every major market. She is a regularly featured Mom expert in all the major parenting and mom magazines from Parenting to Real Simple, as well as in all of the major and regional papers including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune and The Atlanta Journal Constitution. She has also appeared on over 1,400 radio stations nationwide.

Shelly Toltz O.D. is a graduate of the New England College of Optometry in Boston, Massachusetts where she graduated with honors in 1982.  Currently she is a managing partner in a multi-office group practice in Denver, Colorado. Having served as a trustee of the Colorado Optometric Association, Dr. Toltz is an active member of the children’s vision committee and infant see provider.