Catalyst

Informed Families Catalyst

4 F's Of Summer Parenting

Posted by Susan Held, The Confident Mom™ on June 15, 2016 at 3:31 PM

Things tend to change in the summer, less structure and routine can cause frustration – unless you have some set principles in mind. Just because it is summer doesn’t mean you are off duty as a parent or should your kids expect to backslide.

Here are four F’s of parenting for a summer full of fun and less frustration, and yes, they are good all during the year too!

 

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Topics: parenting, tips, summer

6 Tactful Tips To Resist Peer Pressure

Posted by Informed Families on November 1, 2015 at 2:28 PM

Want to equip your child with the best way to respond to negative peer pressure? Share these tips from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and practice using them together.

Even when your child is confident in his/her decision not to use drugs or alcohol, it can be hard when it’s a friend who is offering.

A lot of times, a simple “no thanks” may be enough. But sometimes it’s not. It can get intense, especially if the people who want your child to join in on a bad idea feel judged. If everyone is being “stupid” together, then they feel less self-conscious and don’t need to take all the responsibility.

But knowing they are just trying to save face doesn’t end the pressure, so here are a few tips that may come in handy.

1. Have your child offer to be the designated driver. Get their friends home safely, and everyone will be glad your child didn’t drink or take drugs.

2. If on a sports team, ask your child to say he/she is staying healthy to maximize his/her athletic performance—besides, no one would argue that a hangover would help someone play their best.

3. “I have to [study for a big test / go to a concert / visit my grandmother / babysit / march in a parade, etc.]. I can’t do that after a night of drinking/drugs.”

4. Have your child keep a bottled drink like a soda or iced tea with you to drink at parties. People will be less likely to pressure him/her to drink alcohol if he/she is already drinking something. If they still offer something, have your child just say “I’m covered.”

5. Have your child find something to do so he/she stays busy. Get up and dance. Offer to DJ.

6. When all else fails…have your child blame his/her parents. You certainly won’t mind! Ask your child to explain that his/her parents are really strict, or that they will check up on him/her upon arriving at home.

If your child's friends aren’t having it—then it’s a good time to find the door. Nobody wants to leave the party or their friends, but if your child's friends won’t let him/her party without drugs, then it’s not going to be fun for him/her.

Sometimes these situations totally surprise us. But sometimes our children can anticipate when alcohol or drugs will be used, such as at a concert. These are the times when your child should consider alternative plans.

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Topics: tips, prevention, alcohol, peer pressure, drugs

7 Ways To Love Yourself

Posted by Dr. Fabian Thurston on October 14, 2014 at 2:00 PM

This year’s National Red Ribbon theme is “Love Yourself. Be Drug Free.”

When I first heard it, I thought it was brilliant. But, then it led me to thinking about how we can truly inspire our children to love themselves and how we can more fully love ourselves. What does it mean to “love yourself?” What can we all do to love ourselves?

Here are 7 ideas to help demonstrate, nurture and grow self-love:
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Topics: parenting, tips, red ribbon week, red ribbon photo contest, self esteem, loving yourself

4 Tips For Good Homework Habits

Posted by Guest on September 16, 2014 at 9:26 PM

It's a new school year! Many parents will feel a certain sense of relief that the challenging role of keeping active children busy and amused throughout the long hot summer days is over. But the return of schooldays also brings with it the added parenting role of homework monitor.

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Topics: parenting, homework, education, tips

About Us

We teach people how to say no to drugs and how to make healthy choices. To reduce the demand for drugs, Informed Families has focused its efforts on educating and mobilizing the community, parents and young people in order to change attitudes. In this way we counteract the pressures in society that condone and promote drug and alcohol use and abuse. The organization educates thousands of families annually about how to stay drug and alcohol free through networking and a variety of programs and services .

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