The power of family meals to help kids stay drug free inspired Family Day, a national initiative launched by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.
Family Day, a national movement begun in 2001, is aimed at reminding parents that what kids really want at the dinner table is their parents. Family Day is recognized annually on September 26th.
More than 40 percent of teens try marijuana before they graduate from high school, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institutes of Health publication, Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know.
"You are the more potent and under utilized tool to prevent your children from using substances and engaging in risky behavior," says Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA Columbia Founder and Chairman.
Alcohol use, too, among teens has been steadily rising, and it remains the most widely used drug among youth. Over 2,000 young people between ages 16 and 20 die every year in alcohol-related car crashes, according to the Virginia Department of ABC Education Section publication, Parental Guide to Hosting Responsible Teen Parties.
Parent Power: Tips for Parents
Officials of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institutes of Health recommend the following tips for parents:
- Be a good listener.
- Give clear, no-use messages about drugs and alcohol.
- Help your child deal with peer pressure to use drugs.
- Get to know your child's friends and parents.
- Monitor your child's whereabouts.
- Supervise teen activities.
- Maintain an open and honest dialogue with your child.
Parents have a powerful voice in impacting the life choices kids make for their futures. Family meals are the ideal time to talk with your kids, listen to what's on their minds, and help them solve problems.
Family mealtime can also help build strong family connections with both immediate and extended family members. Kids with strong family connections are usually more happy and well-- adjusted.
"All around the world, children who are happy and well-- adjusted look alike," says Kevin Campbell of Seneca Center for Children and Families in the publication, Making Relative Search Happen: A Guide to Finding and Involving Relatives at Every Stage of the Child Welfare Process. "They are deeply connected," Campbell says. "They have 50 or so people they're connected with over time."
Sharon Wilkerson-Gilpin - Sharon Wilkerson-Gilpin is an author and journalist with more than 20 years of professional writing experience. A native of Richmond, VA, ...
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