One of this month’s Family Table Time topics is safety and behavior. While it’s important not to blame victims when bad things happen to them, it’s also important that teens know which behaviors might put them at risk.

Topics: Family Day, parenting, teenagers, teens

Red Ribbon Week, celebrated annually from October 23-31, is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention awareness program targeted to K-12 students. The purpose of the commemoration is to raise awareness among the young about the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful drugs.

Topics: Family Day, parenting, teenagers, teens

We know there’s a mental health crisis in our young people. It predates the pandemic, but the COVID-based disruptions to their lives made things worse. This has led many schools to initiate various programs to help kids cope with the stress.

Topics: Family Day, parenting, teenagers, teens

Once each year, we take time to celebrate the people that make our lives meaningful: our families. Family life isn’t always what you’d find in a Hallmark movie, but at the bottom, the love and support we find there offer a sense of belonging and stability in our lives. Sociologists point out that families are critical for healthy development.

Topics: Family Day, parenting, teenagers, family bonding, teens, family dinner, Family Table Time

President's Message - August 2022

Over the years, it has been interesting to me that parents consistently think Informed Families is not talking to them but to some other family with problems. Denial is a trademark of addiction!

Topics: Family Day, President's Message, teenagers, Informed Families, teens, Family Table Time

Many years of solid research have shown that when parents engage more deeply in their children’s lives, they are far less likely to turn to such unhealthy behaviors as smoking, drinking, or using drugs.

Topics: Family Day

Congratulations to the winners of the Family Day Photo Contest: Lesley Adkins Stanton from Winter Springs, FL; Lauren Schere Shpigler from Orlando, FL; and Jeanette Teixeira from Miami, FL. The winners, who were randomly selected, each win a $100 Publix gift card.

Laurel Oak Elementary in Naples, FL won the grand prize for schools by having the most entries in the State of Florida. They will receive a $250 Publix gift card.

The contest was sponsored by Publix, Simply Healthcare and Seminole Prevention Coalition.

Topics: Family Day, orlando, family bonding, seminole county, family dinner, miami, collier county, orange county

 

Families come in all forms, sizes and colors. Their diversity is what makes them so beautiful. We love seeing your lovely #FLFamilyDay dinner photos on social media each year. Thank you to all of the families that have participated in Family Day and our Family Day Photo Contest in the past. We have shared some of their heart-warming photos in this post.

Participating in our Family Day photo contest is a simple way that you can help spread awareness about Family Day and the importance of eating dinner together as a family. Research shows that children who eat dinner with their families 4 or more times a week do better in school and are less likely to use drugs or participate in other destructive behaviors. We all want what’s best for our children. Wouldn’t your family and friends with children want to know that something as simple as regular family dinners can improve parent-child communication?

Topics: Family Day, Facebook, family bonding, photo contest, family dinner

National Family Day is on the Fourth Monday of September - that's September 28, 2020 this year. It’s a great opportunity for families to eat dinner together. Watch this 1 in video to learn more about why you should engage in regular family dinners.

Parents are often surprised to hear that something as simple as eating dinner together 4 times a week can reduce the likelihood that their kids will engage risky behavior. Parental engagement is the single most potent weapon in preventing substance use among youth. Check out our Family Days Activity Guide for ideas on how to turn dinner time into something everyone looks forward.

Topics: Family Day, tips, parent involvement, positive parenting, communication, family bonding, children, Informed Families, drug prevention, Family Table Time

Congratulations to the winners of the Family Day Photo Contest: Heidi Hernandez from Naples, FL; Timmy Kutz from Naples, FL; and Tatiana Vuono from Miami, FL. The winners, who were randomly selected, each win a $100 gift card generously donated by Publix.

Freedom Middle School in Orlando, FL won the grand prize for schools by having the most entries in the State of Florida. They will receive a $250 Publix gift card.

Topics: Family Day, orlando, family bonding, family dinner, miami, collier county, orange county