March 2009
Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse by Being Aware, Setting Limits
Instant
Messaging May Slow Down Your Teen's Reading
Parent Involvement Remains Critical Throughout Teen Years
A Word From the Director
It's a fact: Teens today find it
easier to get prescription drugs than beer. Almost a quarter of teens
say they have a friend who abuses prescription drugs. And teens obtain
nearly half of their illegal pills from their homes or the homes of
friends.
Yet the research shows a
disconnect- 28% of teens surveyed named drug and alcohol abuse as
their biggest problem, while only 17% of parents stated it as one of
their top 10 worries about their teens.
Home is where drug abuse
prevention should begin. To keep your teen drug-free:
Be
aware. Lock up
any prescription pills you have around the house. Even if you are sure
your teen would never take them, one of her friends might. Remind your
teen that she should never take any pill that wasn't prescribed for
her by a doctor.
Enjoy
family dinners.
Show an interest in your teen's life - talk about school, her friends,
what she does for fun. Your teen needs to know you care about her.
Set a curfew. More than half of
teens surveyed said they're exposed to drugs or alcohol when they stay
out past 10 p.m. on weeknights. Know where your teen is--and who she's
with--at all times.
If you've been telling your
teen you're concerned about the time he spends sending instant
messages to his friends while studying, you might now say "TYS" (told
you so).
New research shows that teens
who IM their friends take nearly twice as long to complete a reading
passage as those who don't.
Researchers gave three groups
of students a passage to read. One group read it without any
interruptions. A second group answered instant messages and then did
their reading. The last group answered instant messages as they were
reading.
The results? The third group
took nearly 15 minutes longer to read the same passage. That was
nearly 50% longer than the other groups.
Teens who IM may think they're
multitasking. But they're really just wasting time. "They will
actually need more time to achieve the same level of performance on an
academic task," says researcher Laura Bowman.
So make
sure your teen puts away his cell phone while he's reading. He'll
actually have more time to IM friends once his homework is
finished.
When teens
get to high school, they often act like they don't want their parents
around any more. Many parents, who may have been active through
elementary and middle school, may be happy to oblige. But the
research is clear: Parent involvement remains critical throughout your
teen's school years. Your involvement in your teen's school sends a
powerful message about what you believe. High school students say that
when parents are interested in their school, they are more likely to
do homework. They will work hard to earn better grades. What if you
don't have time to chair the Booster Club? Luckily, there are other
ways to be involved. You should get to know your teen's teachers. Stay
in touch when you have questions or concerns. Make sure your teen does
homework. Come to school events whenever you can. Those aren't hard to
do. But the payoffs for your teen can be huge. When you stay involved,
your teen will do better all through high school.
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Greetings from PCN
Spring is just
around the corner and we are all feeling the desire to get outside to
enjoy the warmer weather. It is also a time of the year when kids are
spending more time with their peers and may be exposed to alcohol or
other drugs. For our high school students spring is known as a “high
risk” time because of prom and graduation celebrations. I have found
a new parent resource that is very helpful for all parents. The site
is part of Partnership for a Drug Free America. I’ve included some
quotes and information from the site in this newsletter. Please take a
look at this new resource.
Darcy Jensen and the PCN
Board
From the Partnership for a Drug Free America website-
"The discovery that a teen is
experimenting with or regularly using alcohol or drugs is a very
difficult time for parents, yet it's a situation millions of families
face each year," said Steve Pasierb, President of the Partnership.
"Many parents struggle with what to do next - how to confront their
teen, set boundaries, and get help if their teen needs treatment - but
the sooner parents take action, the better. Time to Act gives
parents what they're seeking in this situation - the useful knowledge
and clear action steps necessary to help their family."
Available now at the web site of the
Partnership for a Drug Free America, "Time to Act"
brings to life scientific knowledge for parents who suspect or know
something is wrong but don't know where to turn or what to do.
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