There’s a lot that parents can do to raise healthy kids and help them avoid risky behaviors. And there are plenty of resources available too, including online help, books, videos, etc.
“I wish parents knew that it's OK to talk to their children about alcohol and drugs and that it will not make them hate their parents.”- G.R., Maine South sophomore
Resources for Parents to Help their Teens Avoid Risky Behaviors
www.TheAntiDrug.com
An excellent resource for parents, with common sense advice and information.
Parent Handbook “Navigating the Teen Years: A Parent’s Guide for Raising Healthy Teens” (available at www.TheAntiDrug.com)
Parenting CD “The Teen Years: A Road Map for Parents” (available at www.TheAntiDrug.com)
http://www.theantidrug.com/RESOURCES/pdfs/Teens-Tech-Guide.pdf
An E-Guide for Parents. Are you up on your teen's online habits? Learn about social networking and Internet lingo. Includes suggested guidelines for cell phone use, online music and videos.
www.drugfree.org
Practical help available from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America such as the “Parent Toolkit” – powerful tools and practical advice for parents to keep their kids healthy and safe; “Parents’ Guide to the Teen Brain” – is your teen’s attitude and behavior normal? and “Time to Talk” – talking to your kids about the risks of drugs and alcohol.
For more information about drugs and their effects, prevention, and treatment:
1-800-788-2800
1-800-SINDROGAS (Spanish)
www.health.org
www.NIDA.NIH.gov
www.talkingwithkids.org
Talking with Kids about Tough Issues - Part of a national campaign by Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation, this site has information about talking to children about sex, violence, HIV-AIDS, drugs and alcohol. It includes a resource page with additional organizations, websites and books.
www.connectwithkids.com
CWK Network, Inc. produces the Connect with Kids television series targeted to parents about the issues kids face everyday. These half-hour specials feature real kids sharing their true stories.
They’ve developed more than 120 multimedia programs with curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students – and their parents, and also produced more than 30 DVD’s and videos that parents and children can use to learn together at home that are full of hope and real-world advice for parents and educators.
The Connect with Kids multimedia library has more than 135 half-hour shows, 2,000 90-second news stories, hundreds of print articles, and 6,000 hours of original broadcast-quality footage — exclusively about children’s social, emotional and physical health.
www.jointogether.org
Join Together is a program of the Boston University School of Public Health that believes problems associated with alcohol and drugs can be best addressed at the community level. Join Together helps community leaders understand and use the most current scientifically valid prevention and treatment approaches.
In addition to this flagship website, Join Together operates other websites, including AlcoholScreening.org, DrugScreening.org, AddictionAction.org and IndicatorsHandbook.org.
www.why21.org
Information about the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age Law so parents can talk to their children about making the smart, responsible and healthy choice to stay alcohol free until (at least) the age of 21.
www.orchidrecoverycenter.com/drug-addiction/helping-kids-say-no.html
Valuable information for both parents and teens. For parents, how to talk with your teen about alcohol, info on teen binge drinking, prevention strategies and sobering statistics about alcohol. For the younger crowd, there are links to drinking facts for teens and signs of problem drinking.
Books
Chicken Soup For The Teen Soul: Real Stories By Real Teens
edited by Jack Canfield
This collection of stories written by teens for teens is full of insight and encouragement. With startling honesty and originality, teens tell it like it is about who they are, what they stand for, and what they believe truly matters in their lives.
How To Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk
by Adele Faber
This all-new volume offers both innovative easy-to-implement suggestions and proven techniques to build the foundation for lasting relationships. From curfews and cliques to sex and drugs, it gives parents the tools to help their children safely navigate the often stormy years of adolescence.
Siblings Without Rivalry
by Adele Faber
Straightforward advice to parents and teens on how to build foundations for healthy relationships, in a guide that covers such topics as curfews, peer pressure, and drugs.
The Teen Whisperer: How To Break Through The Silence And Secrecy Of Teenage Life
by Mike Linderman
With ten years of experience working with troubled teens, cowboy/counselor Linderman provides insight into why teens turn to alcohol, drugs or high risk behaviors. Using a model of five primary teen needs: survival, freedom, power, belonging and fun, he gives parents recommendations how to address difficult specific challenges, encourage teens to process their emotions in healthy ways, and help young people to take pride in hard work.
Talking to Tweens: Getting It Right Before It Gets Rocky with Your 8 to 12 Year Old
by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
Parenting expert Hartley-Brewer advises parents on how to guide tweens and on how to build strong parent-child relationships that will help see the family though rocky teenage years. Everyday issues are covered and the last chapter, Safe and Secure? Courting Danger and Flirting with Risk discusses the issues of smoking, drinking and drugs.
DVDs
Connect with Kids: Middle School Survival Kit
by Koch Vision
A 180 minute DVD featuring students discussing topics to help break down the communications barrier between tweens and their parents. Topics include dangers of internet usage, dating, sex, depression, drugs and alcohol, and more.
