Coordinated Services; Coordinated Efforts are Needed

Peer to Peer, People to People.

How is Lock Your Meds an Opioid Campaign

Lock Your Meds was created in 2008, after the initial skyrocketing of prescription drug deaths.

What Makes You Happy?

We’ve all heard of Einstein’s Theory E = mc². We may not understand the theory, but we’ve heard of it. Notice how the world keeps working without trying to understand or control how it works.

Have you ever noticed we keep asking you “What are you doing for Red Ribbon Week”?

It’s because we are equipping you to live a healthy drug free life and to pass it on to those around you; especially your children.

Over the years it has been interesting to watch people act like, “You’re not talking to me are you?”

Yes YOU! We are talking to YOU. Prevention talks directly to everyone…no exceptions.

Help Us Lead the Red Ribbon Week Herd   

Red Ribbon Week helps to create Herd Immunity. Red Ribbon is about creating herd or community immunity to the alcohol and drug problems America is facing.

Herd or Community Immunity is where a large part of the population are immune to a specific disease.

While currently the public is hearing about and focusing on Covid-19, Herd immunity applies equally to alcohol and drug use.

In all populations across the world about 10 % of people have a predisposition to alcohol and drug addiction. PREDISPOSITION DOES NOT MEAN PREDETERMINED!!! There are PROTECTIVE FACTORS that mediate the disease - the biggest are the communities’ beliefs, their messaging and role modeling about alcohol and drugs use and misuse.

Back to School During the Covid-19 Pandemic  

“It is the best of times, it is the worst of times” is surely a fitting description for today. During times of uncertainty, basic routines help us and our children feel more secure; thus, happier and healthier.

If your children are attending classes are remotely or at school some of the basics still apply:

• Have a healthy breakfast
• Get dressed for school
•  Have a specific place for children to do their online work or their homework
•  Ask about their assignments and review their work and homework
• When going to school, wear a mask

Telling your children you love them and that things will be okay are two messages you need to repeat often. Sometimes this is hard!   If you are fearful about now and the future, practice Mindfulness with your children. It will help everyone. Mindfulness keeps our minds from running away to negative thoughts and worse case scenarios. Even three deep breaths will slow the freight train in the brain.

Healthy Families Can Cope With Uncertainty 

We are in the midst of raging waves delivering bad news and uncertainty.  Healthy Families know how to roll with raging waves and uncertainty.  Healthy Families know and accept they cannot change the rolling waves; they have been working together to build a set of beliefs, principals and skills that keep their boat from capsizing. Think of a sail boat - there are 8 pieces that make up the design.  What keeps the boat steady is what you don’t see. It is the size of the keel, which provides an underwater balancing force that keeps the boat from tipping over.

You can’t build a boat in a hurricane with winds and rough seas. You must build a boat when the weather is good in preparation for the storms and uncertainty that will surely come with life.  Informed Families’ mission is to help you build a healthy family structure. We provide lots of information and tools, but you have to access the information and start building your very own healthy family structure.  

Freedom: What's Your Definition? 

FREEDOM…a great feel good word.  However, freedom is a double-edged sword. Freedom is not just what I think freedom means. I have to be respectful of others’ definitions of freedom.  We all have our own definition of the word, and we measure everyone else by that yard stick in our head.  With freedom we also have responsibility. 

In June we celebrated the end of World War II, when young men graduated from high school and immediately joined the service and headed to war.

The Korean War called up many men who had already served in World War II. Then Vietnam, a divided nation with people actually spitting on veterans.  There are those willing to die to defend our Country and those who want to talk about freedom, but aren’t willing to fight or to sacrifice for freedom.

When I think of Freedom, I think of and salute the United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy,  and Merchant Marine Academy.  Every day on the seven seas, in space, and on many continents they are working to keep America Free and moving us forward in technology.   I’m not sure Americans know or appreciate what these Service Academies do for America.

Fathering Lasts a Lifetime and Beyond

We are celebrating dads this month - Father's Day is June 21st. Two months in lockdown because of COVID-19 has really shifted the perspective of some fathers. Parenting is a hard job, and we always hope for the best.After raising our two daughters, my late husband Neil and I helped raise our seven grandchildren. It’s not easy being a dad. But it is the most important thing you can do. I think Neil said it best in the article below.

Peggy