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That first love is like a drug. You feel like you can’t live without each other and that the world will be all right if only you can be together. So goes the romantic, often fated, teenage relationship. If you’re new to dating or even blind in love, how can you be sure what you two have is a healthy relationship?

First of all, be aware of what entails an unhealthy or abusive relationship. Abuse doesn’t always mean physical trauma; it comes in the form of name-calling or keeping you away from your friends and family. Recognize the warning signs early and seek help if you can’t break it off by yourself.

Healthy relationships thrive on trust, mutual respect, and equality. To trust someone, they have to be honest with you. This honesty must go both ways to have a trusting relationship. You also need to know that you can count on each other in times of trouble, sadness, or problems that extend beyond the relationship. If one of you is too busy to support the other, it may be time to move on.

Without mutual respect, your boyfriend or girlfriend wouldn’t like you for who you are. Never try to change for someone or be dishonest with yourself if you think it will improve the relationship. This is unhealthy.

At the same time, you need to be aware of the fact that you each have different tastes, different hobbies, and a different set of friends. While every relationship involves compromise, never give up being who you are for someone. Both of you will need your space once in a while.

Troublesome trends have always existed; that’s nothing new. What are new are the trends themselves. Today’s teens and young adults are more likely than ever to become addicted to prescription medication. Many share ADHD medication at school as a way of preparing for difficult exams.

While this generation hasn’t taken up smoking as vigorously as its predecessors, today’s teens are using hookahs and chewing tobacco in the false belief that they are less harmful than cigarettes.

Today’s teens are also more likely to be tanorexic. This is a term referring to tanning bed addiction, which increases the risk of fatal melanoma by 75%.

Other bad habits include texting while driving, which has proven fatal in many instances, using electronic technology at night, which leads to fatigue during the day, and increased noise exposure from MP3 players, which can lead to early hearing loss.

There is even a disturbing vampire trend among teens that goes way beyond an obsession for young adult fiction and film. Biting and sucking blood has become glorified in the media, leading to a modern vampire movement. Teens bite and suck each other’s blood, risking bacterial infections and even HIV transmission.

If you suspect any of your friends has become involved in a dangerous behavior, confront them about it. Hold and intervention if necessary. It may take a lot of courage to stand up to your friends, but they’ll thank you for it in the end.

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Most teenagers are not concerned with personal finance. It only becomes an issue of interest for teens working part-time jobs after school wanting to save money for a car. By the time you enter college, it’s a good bet you’ll be more concerned than ever about your finances.

Making mistakes is a part of learning—they lead to more experience and wisdom, but making financial mistakes isn’t necessary if you’re smart about it. Remember that you don’t always need that expensive accessory or that extra outfit. Fitting in shouldn’t come at a cost of going deep into debt.

Be responsible with credit cards. Try to get in the habit of only spending what you can pay off in a month. Completely paying off your balance monthly will make your credit score skyrocket, making it easier to qualify for bigger things in the future (like a house or new car).

Keep track of the little things. A movie night doesn’t amount to much, but it will if you’re splurging on 3-D features every week. The same goes for buying lunches at work or indulging in a mocha frappe every morning. Figure up how much money you can save every month by avoiding those habits. It doesn’t mean you have to give them up completely—treat yourself only once in a while.

If you need help managing money, don’t be afraid to ask. Seek out advice from relatives or even responsible friends or older siblings. They may offer invaluable insight that can get you back on track in no time.

Get Your Kids Excited About Learning

Find out what interests your children and then give them the ability to learn more about these various topics. For example, if you have a child who seems interested in science, go out and buy toys that let kids explore science.

There are many different toys and games designed to make education fun for kids of all ages. These can be counting or alphabet games, or more advanced games for older children. These games can be part of the foundation for creating a fun world that centers on education for your child.

If you create a fun learning environment,  your child will grow up knowing that education and learning can be fun and enjoyable, rather than dreading education as many children do. Putting a bit of effort into helping your children gain a love of learning is going to have a profoundly positive impact on their learning experiences in the future. Children mimic the important people in their lives, so if reading and learning are fun for you, chances are, your kids will think so also.