2. Teenagers under influence will usually go straight to their room when they arrive home. While making eye contact, hold a brief conversation. Check for bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and their sense of balance.

3. Keep lights on and stay up until your teenager comes home.

4. Ask your teen for time and watch way s/he looks at his or her watch.

5. If your teenager unexpectedly wants to spend night at a friend’s house, and you have concerns, say no.

6. Maintain a flexible schedule. Be unpredictable so your teen cannot find it easy to plan around your activities.

7. Keep abreast of what your teen is really doing when away from home. Meet their friends and their parents and participate in mutual activities. This is a very effective form of networking.

8. Ask your neighbors to discretely keep an eye on any activities that may take place while you are not home.

9. Check to see how your teens are doing in school. Ask their teachers if there is any cause for concern or if your teen has been behaving differently.

10. After you meet your teenager’s friends, always ask them to identify themselves when they call. Get to know them. Always encourage your teens to invite their friends over while you are home.

Remember, your goal should be to prevent your teenager from feeling free to experiment with drugs or alcohol. The best way to accomplish this is to keep abreast of their activities and friends using above methods.

Lastly, but most important, talk to your teenager on a regular basis about drug use she witnesses, and how she feels about it. Also, if she has been approached, have her describe how she handled situation. Strive for honesty and ask how you can help her to remain drug free.

This article is an excerpt from book "Realizing Power of Love," How a father and teenage daughter became best friends...and how you can too! By V. Michael Santoro, M. Ed and Jennifer S. Santoro. For more information visit their Web site at http://www.dads-daughters.com/

Copyright 2004 by V. Michael Santoro and Jennifer S. Santoro, All Rights Reserved.

Electrical wiring in home can also disrupt balance of five elements if improperly placed. Such factors have been scientifically proven to influence health and disposition of your child. Indoor environmental testing for Geopathic Stress can support your peace of mind and protect you and your baby.

There are several things you can do yourself to make changes that balance your environment for positive results. Here are some actions you can take today that will make a world of difference:

According to Vastu Shastra, northwest is associated with air element. To balance this element in your baby’s room, hang a mobile in northwest corner of crib. This will help stimulate their ability to learn. Also, fresh air is extremely important for infants and older children. Having window open, even a quarter of an inch, will help eliminate toxins that can build up and circulate in air.

Place crib in southwest area of room with baby’s head to east. The southwest is associated with grounding energy of earth element and supports development of motor skills. Babies also sleep better and have fewer problems with teething in this configuration.

Use a nightlight in southeast area of your baby’s room. The southeast is associated with fire element and promotes growth of visual skills. Balancing fire element also reduces agitation and helps give babies a feeling of security.

These are just a few steps you can take to create proactive support for your child. All five elements need to be considered and balanced properly to experience full benefits of Vastu Shastra. It is advisable to have your home analyzed by a qualified Vastu professional.

I can’t say enough about power and beauty that Vastu Shastra can offer. It is such an impressive tool that can be felt instantly once environment has been balanced. It affects most sensitive members of family first, which means your baby will benefit from changes made immediately.