When it comes to teen substance misuse, one of the most overlooked threats is right at home—prescription drugs hidden in plain sight. While most parents lock up alcohol or dispose of illicit substances, prescription medications are often left unsecured and easily accessible in familiar places around the house. Understanding where teens might find these medications and how to secure them is a crucial step in keeping your family safe.
Topics: tips for talking with your kids about drugs, communication, Informed Families, drug prevention, alcohol use, mindfullness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that substance use among teens can:
Topics: drug abuse, drug prevention, drugs, alcohol abuse
“No man is an island, entire of itself . . . Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
Topics: prevention, drug prevention
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
Orginally published in Miami Kids magazine.
Summer is finally here! We are all ready for a much needed break from homeschooling, and looking forward to some fun. However a less structured day, and minimal supervision can spell trouble for some kids and teens.
“It’s hard to keep tabs on your kids in the summer. Having family rules are essential all year, but perhaps even more so during the summer. They help keep kids, especially teens, out of trouble and give parents a little bit of peace of mind that their kids know guidelines exist and hopefully will be followed,” said Peggy Sapp, Informed Families President and CEO.
Establishing family rules are important. What are your rules? If you want to learn how to set and establish rules, contact Mery Dominguez at mdominguez@informedfamilies.org or 305-856-4886 about joining an Informed Families’ Parent Peer Group.
Spending time together as a family is great too. If you are looking for some ideas, don’t worry we have got you covered. Check out the list of activities of family-friendly summer activities below.
Topics: tips, parent involvement, positive parenting, communication, family bonding, children, Informed Families, family rules, drug prevention, summer, healthy kids
When we talk about raising healthy kids, we often focus on Mom as the primary caregiver. Let’s not forget about the equally important role that Dad plays in shaping a child’s life. In fact, according to the National Fatherhood Initiative, father love is also a better predictor than mother love for certain outcomes including absence of delinquency and conduct problems, absence of substance abuse, overall mental health, and well-being.
Over the years, Informed Families has worked with some terrific dads like Alvah Chapman and Frank Borman, and some who have served as father figures to many including Don Shula and Butch Davis. We salute you all!
Topics: parent involvement, drug free, drug prevention, healthy kids, fathers
According to the 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey:
Parents and educators can join others across the country to help students make informed decisions by sharing fact-based information about drugs and alcohol.
Topics: drug, alcohol, teens, nida, drug prevention, drugs, drug use, alcohol use, vaping
“I really would like the theme to inspire others for use as their mantra. Bravery is not just for superheroes."
Meet Tricia Nelson, the everyday hero behind the 2020 Red Ribbon theme: “Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free.”
The Red Ribbon Campaign unveiled its new 2020 Red Ribbon Theme, “Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. ™” today. The theme will be highlighted during Red Ribbon Week®, the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program, taking place each year from October 23 through 31st.
Submitted by Tricia Nelson, a first year Physical Education Teacher at Locust Corner Elementary School in Cincinnati, the theme will help amplify the campaign’s mission to encourage children, families and communities to live healthy, safe and drug-free lives.
Topics: red ribbon, red ribbon week, red ribbon theme, drug free, drug prevention
Welcome, 2020! Cheers to the start of a new year and a new decade.
We are encouraged by the recent findings from the annual Monitoring the Future survey. In the past year, the use of illicit drugs (other than marijuana) among 12th graders remains low. The misuse of prescription medicines and the use of alcohol and tobacco cigarettes continues to decline as well. However the number of youth vaping marijuana and nicotine is rising.
In the 1980s, we were fighting to keep our kids safe from cocaine, big tobacco and underage drinking. Today we are battling against opioids, vaping and binge drinking. The drug trends may change, but education and simple, clear communication remain key in keeping our youth healthy and drug free.
Informed Families has been fortunate to have such terrific partners help us spread our prevention messages. We are once again partnering with Publix to promote our Lock Your Meds campaign and messaging in all of their pharmacies this month. We are also working with the Florida Blue Foundation to increase awareness of the opioid epidemic and promote good mental health over the next three years.
Informed Families will continue to deliver on our mission to educate, enable and empower students, parents and communities to work together to keep children healthy in 2020. We are off to a great start!
Peggy
Topics: President's Message, drug trends, underage drinking, binge drinking, publix, drug free, drug prevention, nicotine, tobacco, drug use, opioids, alcohol use, mental health, vaping
The National Family Partnership announced the winners of the 2019 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest on December 2. Several Florida residents and schools were included among this year’s winners.
Natalia Solares from Hialeah, FL won a Judges Award in the Home category for Best Use of the Theme. Ms. Solares’ $1000 prize money will go to Youth Co-Op Preparatory Charter School.
Topics: red ribbon, red ribbon week, red ribbon photo contest, red ribbon theme, Florida, drug free, photo contest, drug prevention
