It's a sure sign that your child is growing up when they embark on their first romantic relationship. And though your tween or teen is taking another step toward adulthood, they may not be emotionally prepared for the ups and downs of their first love (which is commonly followed by their first break-up).

Research published in the journal Child Development shows that teens' choice of romantic partner as early as middle school has long-term effects on their emotional and social health.

Despite the fact that teen dating is dramatically different today than it was in decades ago (with Facebook, teen sexting and widespread promiscuity), a study by Stephanie Madsen, associate professor of psychology at McDaniel College in Maryland, shows that teens value parental input and tend to have healthier relationships when they get advice from their parents.

Though you can't protect your child from a broken heart, you can help guide them through the maze of teen dating by following these suggestions:

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Is your troubled teenager normally off in one corner of the house alone? If you can hardly connect with your teen, you ought to consider rehashing the communication line between parent and child. Don’t waste any more time.

A hectic day at the office, along with your child’s extracurricular activities, may leave the two of you with hardly any time to touch base. And when you happen to touch base, this may end up in petty fights. Also, you could be trying to communicate with your child but they may not be responding.

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By Meghan Vivo

Teen depression comes in many forms, not all of which are easily recognizable to parents or teens themselves. For some teens, depression can manifest as anger and irritability, while others may display symptoms like apathy, avoidance or isolation.

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South Africans spent years preparing for and anticipating the fun, excitement, and potential wealth that 2010 would bring us. Many enthusiastically upgraded their homes to accommodate tourists, others upgraded or changed their businesses in the hope of profiting from the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Flags, posters, colourful supporters, theme parks and decorated vehicles lent a carnival feel to our streets. Even the die-hard doom-preachers got caught up in the spirit and had to admit at the end of the day that the World Cup was a success. (Although by then it was really hard to find anybody who admitted to thinking anything else! Ever.) South Africans proved again that when the chips are down, we stand strong as a nation.

And so, after all the excitement of 2010 this year may seem rather dull by comparison. Fantastic, I say! Time to focus our energies, assess our goals and our futures, and know that we can build on the strength of a wonderful country!

The future of South Africa is in our hands and in turn, we will hand the torch to our children. The biggest favour we can do them is provide them with a meaningful education, solid role models and constant guidance and support.

Through this website and other initiatives, Learning Channel aims to make that road a little less complicated. We will regularly update our Website with important information, advice from experts, worthwhile articles from reputable sources, as well as answers to your questions.

We hope that you will use our website as a communication tool and valuable educational link to support your parenting!