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

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

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

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

Congratulations to the FIVE WINNERS of the Informed Families Virtual Scavenger Hunt focused on the dangers of underage and binge drinking. They will each receive a $25 Amazon gift card for answering all of the game questions correctly. All winners were randomly selected.

1. Noelle Taylor – Collier County

2. Arbens Darius – Hillsborough County

3. Gio Vanegas – Miami-Dade County

4. Lelani Delgado – Orange County

5. Heather Newby – Seminole County

Informed Families would also like to congratulate Janine Mojica from Lake Nona High School in Orange County on winning a $50 Amazon gift card for having the most student participation in the Virtual Scavenger Hunt.

Thank you to everyone who joined in the game. We hope it was informative and fun. Stay tuned for future contests and games!

The correct answer to each question was posted on the Informed Families website at 9 PM the day after the question was sent out. Here are all the questions and answers in case you missed any or weren't able to join in the fun. 

Topics: underage drinking, alcohol, binge drinking, alcohol use, contest

We’ve all seen the headlines:

“Underage drinking, drugs leads to nearly 1,000 arrests on Gulf Coast beaches”

“Sheriff's Office cracks down on underage drinking in Destin”

“Police being extra vigilant on drunk driving during spring break

"Spring Break 2019 sees drunk students descend on beach to guzzle booze, twerk and pass out in outrageous parties”

If you are the parent of a college-age student preparing to head off to a spring break destination soon, you are likely concerned about whether or not they will engage in underage or binge-drinking and wind up in lots of trouble.

Topics: positive parenting, college students, underage drinking, alcohol, teens, binge drinking, samhsa, alcohol use, alcohol abuse

While the Media Was Focused on Opioids Look What Happened

While the media has been focused on the opioid crisis, the number of alcohol-related deaths more than doubled from 35,914 in 1999 to 72,558 in 2017. Women have been impacted the most.

According Dr. George F. Koob, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Director, “alcohol is a growing women’s health issue. The rapid increase in deaths involving alcohol among women is troubling and parallels the increases in alcohol consumption among women over the past few decades.”

Trends like Mommy wine culture, which normalizes the idea of drinking alcohol as a way to cope with stress, and sipping while shopping have become commonplace. We should always keep in mind that our kids are watching our behaviors. Do we want them to turn to alcohol as a way to escape from everyday stress or as the only way to relax and unwind?

They are bombarded with images promoting alcohol in that way already. A new report from the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs says alcohol ads are leading teens to drink. A study in the Preventive Medicine journal found that social media could be sending out positive messaging about alcohol use as well.

Sign the Safe Homes Smart Parents pledge, and let’s work together to stem the tide of alcohol-related deaths by discouraging underage and binge drinking.  

Peggy

Topics: President's Message, safe homes smart parties, underage drinking, alcohol, teens, binge drinking, Peggy Sapp, media, alcohol abuse