Are you gearing up
for the time when you'll need to start talking to your kids about staying away
from drugs and alcohol? Guess what? You'd better start now!
In fact, experts say that adolescence is one of the least effective times to begin
those talks; teens are the
most likely to reject their parent's advice and to
be influenced by their peers. But if that's where you and your child are
age-wise, don't let that stop you- you can still get the message across
now, according to the facts at Know!
Hey, we all know that talking with your kids about drugs and alcohol
can be difficult, and you might stumble and falter along the way, but the
stakes are too high for you to remain silent, because the possible consequences
of drinking and taking drugs are too great.
So, where to
start? How about your TV? Kids get a lot of messages about alcohol
while watching television. Youth exposure to alcohol advertising has risen by
38% since 2001, according to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at
Georgetown University. It's not just a matter of kids watching adult shows. In
2007, more than 40% of youth exposure to alcohol advertising came from ads
placed on youth-oriented programming; that is, programs with disproportionately
large audiences of 12-20-year-olds. And this exposure does have an effect
on youth behaviors: evidence from The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of
the Surgeon General shows that exposure to alcohol advertising and
marketing increases the likelihood of underage drinking. So it's up to
you, as the parent, to try to block those messages.
But part of the problem (though it presents a great opportunity!) is that
parents don't realize how much of an influence they have on choices their
children make. In fact, a 44% of parents believe that the media has a
greater influence over their kids, and it just isn't true!
You can help to
counter-act alcohol messages in the media by sending your own messages that
underage alcohol use is not acceptable. Talk early and often with your
child, even when it gets tough, and don't give up just because you didn't start
when your kids were younger. Make sure your child is hearing your messages
now as regularly as the alcohol advertisements.
I'm a parent of a teen, and my wife and I try to understand what she goes through, and know the pressures that parents face; that's why I think these messages are so important. I'd like to pick this back up tomorrow to talk about some of the biggest reasons why teens turn to drugs and alcohol to begin with- hope you can come by.
John
Email John: johnsblog@teshmedia.com
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