Is Zyn the new vape?

And how to step in

Hello everyone! Today, we’re talking about one of those things that highlights the sometimes major disconnect between teens and the parents who want to take care of them…but are often totally clueless. It’s tough to keep up with everything that could possibly impact your child! But our job is to help make it a little easier.

Hope you find today’s top story useful! And hit reply to let us know what else parents and schools are totally behind the eight ball on when it comes to our kids.

 What Is Zyn? Your Kids Definitely Know

Source: Truth Initiative

Have you heard about Zyn? It’s an oral nicotine patch that’s marketed as having “all the benefits of nicotine, without the carcinogenic effects.” And it’s probably in your kids’ group chat.

What’s the appeal? Zyn doesn’t require spitting any brown stuff like chewing tobacco, a selling point Zyn’s parent company has marketed widely. And it costs about $5 for a can of 15 pouches.

Why should I care? 

  • It’s taking off in a big way with teens—videos on TikTok tagged with “#zyn” are approaching 300 million views. And since it’s odorless and colorless…your kids could potentially be using it without you or the schools knowing.

  • Doctors say these pouches have become super popular “with little research or regulatory oversight.”

What are the health impacts? Nicotine like what’s in Zyn doesn’t cause cancer, but it is addictive and youth use of nicotine in any form is unsafe. Big Tobacco is marketing Zyn as a means of getting your hit without lighting up (FYI: Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States). But…there isn’t enough data to know about the long-term effects of nicotine pouches as a means of quitting smoking or vaping.

And unfortunately, teens as young as middle school are using tobacco way more than you might think.

How can I learn more? 

  • Here are some tips for talking to kids about smoking.

  • Here is some useful information about how teens can get addicted to nicotine.

  • And exclusive for members of The Common Parent, our community platform for parents, we have a podcast episode all about teens and addiction.

While we’re here: Get access to exclusive content and insightful conversations all about parenting by joining our community, The Common Parent. Click here to start your free one-month trial.

How to Not Raise Assholes

Priority 1: Raise healthy kids. Priority 2? Don’t raise assholes. But that second one is easier said than done, especially when our kids have a front row seat to all the hate, division, and hurt we see in the world today. So how do you raise kids to be compassionate and empathetic, even when they see negativity and division around every corner (read: on TikTok)?

We got actionable, research-based strategies to help our children make more compassionate choices and see themselves as part of a larger world from Melinda Wenner Moyer, author of How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes, in this super helpful episode for our Common Parent community.

Listen to the episode here, and join the Common Parent here if you haven’t already.

Send This to Your Kids’ Dad

Source: Farmers’ Almanac

This one is interesting. A recent report found that when dads engage their kids in interactive activities (like reading, drawing, playing, telling stories, singing, or listening to and talking about music) at a young age, those kids test higher in early elementary school. 

Because we know you’re wondering: Engaged moms still were associated with a positive effect on their young kids, but they had more of an impact on their children’s emotional and social behaviors than their test scores.

Want to learn more about how to get Dad involved? Eli Weinstein, a Licensed Master Social Worker, gave us some POV on how we can make it easier for our male partners to connect with their kids. Check it out here.

Getting Sad vs. Getting S.A.D.

So…it gets dark at 4pm now. And that can be tough for all of us, even kids. If your child is irritable, tired, and generally moody…they might be struggling through seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder or type of depression that typically occurs when fall and winter roll around.

Some helpful pediatricians shared their thoughts on how to identify SAD symptoms in kids and what parents can do to help them through those winter blues.

The perfect recs to remind you who the [bleep] you are—because it’s someone incredible.

  • A recent survey found almost one in four moms feel like they’re “just moms” and have “lost touch” with any other identity besides parenthood.

  • A community discussion about how to set boundaries as a parent—because setting those boundaries is how we stay true to ourselves.

  • Some thoughts on how the title of Mom, Mommy, or Mama changes us.

  • How to maintain who you are when you become a parent.

We want you to know something really important: Even if you feel like you’re just surviving and barely making it through this parenting thing…you’re doing a kickass job. The bar is set impossibly high, and showing up (even if it’s in sweatpants) is what matters most.

—Cat & Nat