Topics: Family Day

Of all the brilliant Dave Barry lines, "You can't make this stuff up" remains high on my list--an extension in a sense of Mark Twain's, "Truth is stranger than fiction. Because fiction has to make sense."

A Florida couple was recently arrested for giving marijuana and cocaine to their middle school children in order to encourage the kids to go to school, do their homework, that sort of thing.

Yes, I wish I were making this up.

Topics: David Altshuler, parenting, family bonding, commitment

GOT PURPOSE? INTRODUCING THE RED RIBBON WALK & WRAP™ 

Topics: President's Message, red ribbon, children

The National Family Partnership is proud to announce that this year’s National Red Ribbon Week Youth Ambassador is Johanna Colón of Raleigh, North Carolina. Johanna was selected for her tremendous spirit, wonderful dance skills, commitment to healthy activities, kindness towards others, leadership qualities, self-confidence and her self-respect – all demonstrated in a three-minute, viral YouTube video, viewed by an estimated 20 million people. Johanna’s qualities and her song selection tie in perfectly with this year’s Red Ribbon Week theme: Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.™

“When we respect ourselves, we make healthy choices and we protect our bodies and minds,” said Peggy Sapp, president of the National Family Partnership. “Johanna’s contagious energy, enthusiasm, spirit, leadership qualities and self-confidence make her the perfect youth ambassador and representative for this year’s theme.”

No stranger to Red Ribbon Week, Johanna celebrates the event every year at her local elementary school in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Red Ribbon Week is so much fun and I am very excited,” said Johanna. “When you respect yourself, you love yourself, you are healthy and you don’t do drugs. I hope I can help a lot of kids.”

Coincidentally, Johanna’s mom, Elissa Colón, is a former elementary school teacher who organized Red Ribbon Week activities each year for students at her school.

“My first reaction when hearing that Johanna was selected to be a Youth Ambassador for Red Ribbon Week was sheer excitement,” said Elissa Colón. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for her to learn what a difference she can make in this world. As a parent and former teacher, Red Ribbon Week is important to me because I want my children and other children to succeed in life and be productive, happy adults, which would not be possible if they engage in drug use.”

Elissa Colón sees Red Ribbon Week as a gift to parents and schools – and a wonderful opportunity to introduce a sometimes difficult, but nonetheless important, topic to children.

“I would encourage all parents to take advantage of Red Ribbon Week and use it as a fun, non-threatening way to engage their children in conversations about being healthy, respecting themselves and staying drug free.”

As the Youth Ambassador, Johanna will help spread the Red Ribbon Week message in her local schools; at national Red Ribbon events; online through social media; through print, TV and online media interviews and other opportunities as they arise.

Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31) is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, celebrated by an estimated 80 million people each year. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week at www.redribbon.org.

 

 

Topics: red ribbon, red ribbon week, 2015 red ribbon theme

Do you suspect your child is drinking alcohol? Here's some signs that your child may have a problem and some tips for what to do about it.

Topics: parenting, underage drinking, alcohol, signs

Effects of marijuana – with and without alcohol – on driving performance

Using the most sophisticated driving simulator of its kind to mirror real-life situations, new research shows that marijuana use impairs one measure of driving performance. People driving with blood concentrations of 13.1 µg/L THC – the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana – showed increased weaving within the lane, similar to those with 0.08 breath alcohol, the threshold for impaired driving in many states. Drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana had an additive effect, so that drivers using both substances weaved within lanes even if their blood THC and alcohol concentrations were below the impairment thresholds for each substance alone. Alcohol, but not marijuana, increased the number of times the car actually left the lane and the speed of weaving. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office on National Drug Control Policy, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the study.

Topics: marijuana, study, driving

The first time Sarah* used drugs — at age 13 — the experience was pretty unremarkable, she recalls. Now 18 and newly graduated from high school, Sarah does recall that it happened during the summer at a party. Other kids were drinking beer and smoking marijuana, so she tried them. She continued to smoke marijuana off and on during high school, and she occasionally drank alcohol to excess.

“It wasn’t like I needed something to make me feel happy,” she said. “I didn’t personally go seek it out. It was around.” Seated in a loose circle, Sarah is talking with other teenagers, who in one moment are sharing serious insights and life experiences, then joking and teasing in the next. These teens, ages 16 to 18, are participating in a group therapy session for adolescents at South Miami Hospital’s Addiction Treatment & Recovery Center.

Topics: addiction, prescription drug abuse, David Vittoria, recovery, prevention

 

"Adolescence is a crucial period both of susceptibility to the rewards of drugs and of vulnerability to the long-term effects of drug exposure...Adolescents are prone to risky behaviors and impulsive actions that provide instant gratification instead of eventual rewards." - Dr. Nora Volkow

Topics: addiction, drug trends, parent involvement, positive parenting, prescription drug abuse, synthetic drugs, flakka

If you’re packing up the car and the family and heading off for some holiday fun, you might appreciate a few tried and tested tips to make the journey more pleasant for everyone.

Here are 10 tips to help make your road trip a success:

Topics: parenting, communication, car trips

BBQs, lemonade stands, pool days, and slip n’ slides…SUMMER IS HERE! But we all know along with all that fun comes lots of free time for your children. Help your children grow into responsible young adults (and make some money) this summer at a lemonade stand. Teach your children RESPONSIBILITY by having them run a lemonade stand...all while they're making money!

Topics: parent involvement, discipline, decisions, family bonding, children