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spacer Designed for parents and other adults involved in the lives of 7- to 18-year-olds, the Family Guide Web site emphasizes the importance of family, promotes mental health, and helps prevent underage use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.
A Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug FreeA Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free Set RulesA Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free
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Start Talking Before They Start Drinking
When young people drink, they tend to drink heavily. Underage drinkers consume, on average, four to five drinks per occasion, compared with two to three drinks per occasion among adult drinkers aged 26 and older.
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Set Rules
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Make clear, sensible rules for your child and enforce them with consistency and appropriate consequences. When you do this, you help your child develop daily habits of self-discipline. Following these rules can help protect your child's physical safety and mental well-being, which can lower her risk for substance abuse problems. Some rules, such as "Respect Your Elders," apply to all ages, but many will vary depending on your child's age and level of development. This section offers tips on how to establish expectations for your child's behavior and how to respond when she * doesn't obey.

Latest Articles

  • Surf’s Up All Year Long for Young Internet Users
    Does your child spend a lot of time surfing the Net? Instead of reading books, riding their bikes, or hanging out with friends, many kids are spending their free time online.
  • Preventing Kids From Breaking the Rules
    Most parents, teachers, and other authority figures deal with young people who occasionally break the rules. As kids move from childhood to their teen years, they may push limits, ignore advice, and question authority. You may wonder how to get them to stop, do as they’re told, and act right.
  • Post-High School Parenting
    Now that your teen has graduated, he might think he’s all grown up and ready to take on the world. But he may still need help from you to make the right choices along the way.
  • Practice What You Preach
    Whether you are an occasional user or just have a drink or two with dinner, your tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drug use affects your children.
  • Combating Parental Stress
    Has your daily “to-do” list gotten so long that it no longer fits on a single piece of paper? Or do you have so much to do that you don’t even have time to make a to-do list? You’re not alone. Parents today are working longer hours and commuting greater distances to and from work. Their days don’t slow down when they get home. Kids’ after-school schedules can be jam-packed, making life busy—and often stressful—for parents.
  • Gadgets and Gizmos and Games
    Children and technology have a close relationship. Video game players, cell phones, ipods, DVD players, and computers are among the hi-tech gadgets and gizmos that many kids and teens own. Tech items help young people have fun, learn new skills, and stay in touch with family and friends.
  • Cheating: New Alarm About an Old Problem
    Stealing answers or copying someone else’s work—some students probably have cheated since schools started handing out grades. While cheating may be nothing new, it has become more common and often uses new technology. Parents and school officials face the hard question of what to do about dishonesty and the shortcuts to success that many students take.
  • Wiggly Alcohol Tempts Teens
    Remember when your mother gave you jiggly, slippery gelatin desserts? Most of us have fond memories of those brightly colored treats. But times have changed, and a different kind of gelatin may be offered to your child. This new twist on the old classic features an ingredient that is dangerous for young people—alcohol.
  • How Can I Protect My Teen from Underage Drinking?
    Teens say that parents are the number one influence in their lives, and you have everything you need—right now—to help protect your teen from underage drinking. Don’t wait for a better time; this is the best time!
  • Safe Riding, Safe Driving
    Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of youth ages 15 to 20.1 If you’re the parent of a teen, it’s likely that drunk and drugged driving is at the top of your list of concerns for your child. Many teens know someone who has been involved in or affected by a car crash with an impaired driver—a driver who had been drinking alcohol or using another drug that lowers the ability to drive safely. Sadly, some of those drivers are young people.


* We refer to a child as "him" in some places and "her" in others. We do this for easier reading. All information applies to both boys and girls unless otherwise specified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Last updated on 7/16/08