A Better Way to Wake Up.  Most teens need a little extra help learning to get themselves out of bed in the morning.  But a jarring alarm puts anyone in a bad mood, and a sleepy teen is likely just to hit the snooze button. Unlike the sudden jolt of an alarm clock, the natural sunrise simulation of the Rise and Shine Wake-Up Light won't disrupt the last stages of sleep. As its soothing, white light progressively brightens, your teen awakens slowly, providing the body with the stimulus required to transition from sleeping to waking. The result is a feeling of being rested, revitalized, and ready to start the day. Gradually awakens even the heaviest sleepers.

• Light gradually brightens to wake you gently and help normalize natural sleep patterns
• Sleep mode feature slowly decreases lamp's intensity to aid in falling asleep peacefully and gradually
• Wake to your choice of four natural soundscapes or FM radio stations. Dual alarm with snooze feature
• Drug-free alternative for addressing sleeplessness, fatigue and lethargy
• Also a reading lamp -- Select from 20 levels of light intensity
• Provides the external cues required to regulate circadian rhythms

 If you had stars on your ceiling as a child, you'll know how terrific these are.  If you didn't, wait until you lie with your child in her dark room looking at her glowing ceiling!  Relaxing as kids fall asleep.  Even teenagers love them.

These stars have a Lifetime glow guaranteed by the manufacturer. 50 "glow in the dark" plastic stars of varying sizes, with adhesive. Made by Great Explorations.

Preteens and Teens love to use their minds, which are exploding with new capacity for conceptual thinking.  The Rubik cube is a puzzle that teens love to experiment with, and it expands their problem solving abilities.  Terrific stocking stuffer!

At last, a book of sage advice that will help frustrated parents reconnect with their teenager and keep that connection even in today's often-crazy world.The first step is simple: realizing that inside every teen resides two very different people-the regressed child and the emergent adult. The emergent adult is seen at school, on the playing field, in his first job, and in front of his friends' families. Unfortunately, his parents usually see only the regressed child-moody and defiant-and, if they're not on the lookout, they'll miss seeing the more agreeable, increasingly adult thinker in their midst.With ingenious strategies for coaxing the more attractive of the two teen personalities into the home, family psychologist Mike Riera gives new hope to beleaguered and harried parents. From moving from a "managing" to a "consulting" role in a teen's life, from working with a teen's uniquely exasperating sleep rhythms to having real conversations when only monosyllables have been previously possible, Staying Connected to Your Teenager demonstrates ways to bring out the best in a teen-and, consequently, in an entire family.