Forum offers help for parents

Marshall Allen

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Raising a middle-school child is a challenge

for most parents, but thanks to the Community Prevention Council, they

aren’t alone.

The Community Prevention Council is holding a Pre-teen Survival

Parenting Forum at 7 p.m. Thursday, at the Roger Barkley Community

Center, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Canada Flintridge. The council is made

up of Foothill area youth organizations who meet monthly to discuss youth

issues.

Thursday’s forum will feature La Canada High 7/8 Principal Gaylene van

Zijll and the school’s 7/8 counselors. The group will offer advice to

help make life better for parents and teens.

One of the main tips she gives parents is to talk to their kids every

day, Van Zijll said.

“The kids desperately want to be close to their parents, but they

don’t want to be grilled,” she said.

Also, she suggests that parents give kids their own space that can’t

be violated without permission. She gave her three children their room,

where, as long as it wasn’t unhealthy, shehad to knock before entering.

If they don’t have their own space, “that’s when they startrebellious

activity,” she said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Community Prevention Council parenting forum.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday.

WHERE: Roger Barkley Community Center, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La

Canada Flintridge.

COST: Free.