The backpacks have been unpacked. Schedules have been adjusted. Practices, homework and after-school activities are officially underway. The whirlwind of back-to-school season may finally be settling down — but one important conversation shouldn't disappear with it.

Prevention continues all year long.

Parents and caregivers have countless opportunities throughout the school year to help young people develop healthy habits, navigate peer pressure and make positive choices. And those conversations don't have to feel like lectures.

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

When we think about strengthening our families, it can be easy to imagine that we need more time, better schedules or elaborate activities.

But strong family connections are often built in much smaller moments.

A conversation in the car. Dinner around the table. A few minutes together before bed. Asking a child about their day...and really listening to the answer.

 

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

This year’s Red Ribbon Week® theme, “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” invites us to think about what being a hero really means. Heroes aren’t only people who do extraordinary things. They’re the people making positive choices in everyday moments... at home, at school and in their communities. Across our prevention campaigns, we see four simple ways each of us can make a difference: Connect. Choose. Protect. Lead

Topics: President's Message, Informed Families, summer, love, transition

Phones help us do a lot.  They keep us connected, organized and entertained. They help with homework, directions, schedules, recipes, work and staying in touch with the people we care about.  But sometimes being connected to everything can make it harder to connect with the people sitting right beside us. A notification comes through during dinner. Someone checks a text. Another person starts scrolling. Before long, everyone may be together—but everyone's attention is somewhere else.

 

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

Family dinner sounds wonderful in theory. Then real life happens. Someone has soccer practice. Another child has homework. A parent gets home late from work. One person wants tacos, another refuses to eat anything except chicken nuggets—and somehow it's already 7:30 p.m. If that sounds familiar, you're not doing family dinner wrong. In fact, family meals don't have to look perfect to create meaningful opportunities for connection. As we look ahead to Family Day on September 28, Informed Families encourages families to spend more intentional time eating, talking and connecting together. And that can look different for every family.

 

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

On Monday, September 28, 2026, families across the country will celebrate Family Day...a reminder that some of the most meaningful opportunities to connect with our children happen during ordinary moments together.

 

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

As summer begins to wind down, families are starting to prepare for a new school year. Back-to-school season is about more than shopping for supplies and adjusting routines—it is also an opportunity to reconnect, set expectations and create healthy habits that support children throughout the year.

Topics: President's Message, Informed Families, summer, love, transition

The official 2026 Red Ribbon Week® theme, “Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” encourages young people to recognize that choosing a healthy, drug-free lifestyle is an act of courage, leadership, and positive influence. Created by Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School in Connecticut, the theme reminds students that heroes are not limited to fictional characters, celebrities, or athletes. They can be classmates, friends, family members, teachers, and community leaders who make responsible choices and encourage others to do the same.

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens

As summer begins to wind down, families are starting to prepare for a new school year. Back-to-school season is about more than shopping for supplies and adjusting routines—it is also an opportunity to reconnect, set expectations and create healthy habits that support children throughout the year.

Topics: President's Message, Informed Families, summer, love, transition

Summer gives kids and teens more freedom, more downtime, and more chances to get together with friends. That can be a great thing. Pool parties, sleepovers, beach days, birthdays, and backyard hangouts are all part of making memories.

But before you say yes to the next invitation, it is worth taking a quick pause.

Topics: positive parenting, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, summer, Youth Prevention, teen party safety, summer safety, parenting teens