Running with half a dozen buddies in the early morning on New Year's Day, I asked a friend what she and her teen-aged children had done the night before. "Just stayed home and played Parcheesi," Danielle said. "Then the kids and I started to watch a movie, but I fell asleep on the couch in the living room."

"My kids and I stayed home too," I replied. "We played Dominoes and then they baked something that was almost edible. But I'm leaving out the word 'just.' I'm happy to hang out with my wife and children. The kids will be grown and gone soon enough."

As we trotted over tree roots on our way down toward Matheson Hammock, another running buddy joined the conversation: "You supercilious prig," Lynn began. "Not only are you living in a cave, you are harming your kids by not letting them go out from the damp, dark confines in the side of a cliff."

Topics: David Altshuler, parenting, marijuana legalization, marijuana, communication, brain development, family bonding

Many adults will probably recall a time in their childhood when they were guilty of a little stealing. Perhaps it was just a few dollars you found lying around the house, or a tempting trinket off a shop counter.

The truth is that young children do not always understand exactly what stealing is, and those that do sometimes steal to impress their friends or for a dare. For most children this “experiment” in dishonesty is short-lived, especially when they are caught and appropriately disciplined.

Stealing needs to be considered as a potentially serious problem, especially if it occurs outside the home. Of course if your child has stolen something, it doesn’t make them a delinquent. Rather, you need to discourage stealing, find out the reasons your child has stolen, and take steps to prevent it leading to further problems at school and in the wider community.

Topics: parenting, parent involvement, positive parenting, discipline, communication, stealing

Topics: education, high school, elementary school, middle school

 

Making a difference starts with volunteers. Organizations like ours (Informed Families) and  Volunteer Florida  unite and strengthen Florida communities so we can make our State a better place to live. Volunteering in Florida is an amazing thing to do and there are many benefits! Stay healthy, socialize with others, learn valuable skills, all while having fun making our neighborhoods a better place. Making a difference today is easy!

Topics: education, ambassadors, volunteer in florida

 

Volunteering provides many benefits for those who take the time to get involved . Benefits include improved health, increased social interaction, and learning new skills to advance your career. Young people want to volunteer, but Florida is ranked among the states with the lowest teenage volunteer rates. As adults, we understand the benefits of volunteering, so how can we share this wisdom with our children, improve our volunteer Florida rates for teens and get them more involved?

Topics: education, parent involvement, positive parenting, volunteer in florida

WHY SMART KIDS DO DUMB THINGS 

11 Wesleyan University students were hospitalized on Sunday after overdosing on Molly, a “pure” form of ecstasy or MDMA, which has increased in popularity among teens in recent years. Two of these students are in critical condition.

"I think that's why it's so shocking because it feels like that could never happen to anyone that you know," Emma Soloman, a Wesleyan freshman, told Connecticut news station WVIT. "It's like no one is going to overdose, you know? Because it's so common, but then when it's in that grand of a scale, it's scarier."

According to the most recent National Survey On Drug Use & Health, about one in eight 18-25 year olds have used MDMA in their lifetime.

When did ecstasy become so “common” on college campuses? How do we protect our children from unhealthy and dangerous norms? Furthermore, how can we equip our kids with tools that will help keep them safe, healthy and drug free when most kids do not believe bad things will happen to them?

Topics: President's Message, parenting, college students, advice, MDMA, molly, ecstasy

We live in a country where the availability of prescription drugs has increased dramatically in our neighborhoods, schools and even in our homes. Both adults and children are susceptible to improperly using prescription drugs, which can be a problem because of the discreet side effects and behaviors that these individuals can hide for months or years, if not seen with a trained eye.

Topics: prescription drug abuse, lock your meds, prescription drugs

Parents, when you hear the word "Molly," pay attention. What sounds like a cute name of one of your child's friends may actual be a very dangerous drug that causes long term damage. Learn more as we cover one of the latest drug trends.

Topics: drug trends, prescription drug abuse, MDMA, club drugs, molly

"Connectors" are dedicated volunteers who share Informed Families' prevention message with their vast network of contacts to help expand the organization's reach. Deborah Montilla, executive director of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Division of Student Services and Vice Chairman of the Informed Families Board of Trustees, is a Connector extraordinaire and this month's spotlighted Connector.

Topics: red ribbon week, pledges, ambassadors, campaigns, high school, orlando

“I am so excited and happy,” said Kristofer Calhoun, winner of the 2015 National Red Ribbon Theme Contest, shortly after his surprise recognition ceremony at Solon Middle School in Solon, Ohio. “I am shocked that I won out of so many entries.”

The 2015 National Red Ribbon theme is “Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.”

“Respecting yourself means looking at yourself every day and treating yourself like you would treat someone you loved most in the world,” said Kristofer, 13. “If you do drugs, you really don’t have self-confidence and you don’t respect yourself."

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