IAA Prevention Education in Our Schools & Community

As the second half of the 2025-2026 school year gets underway, InnerAct Alliance remains committed to protecting Central Florida youth and strengthening families through substance abuse prevention education and community support. We believe that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and drug-free future!

Our amazing team of educators is busy teaching evidence-based prevention programs, such as Keep A Clear Mind, Too Good for Drugs, and Project ALERT, in classrooms across Polk County. These programs encourage students to make healthy life choices and help them build strong resistance skills to avoid risky behaviors and experimentation with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, vaping, and other drugs.

In addition, we are excited that several schools have invited us to share informative social norms facts with high school students during their lunch breaks. Social Norms help proactively change perspectives about substance use with a positive message to students that most of their peers are NOT involved in substance abuse and risky behaviors. IAA offers this free of charge and our agency provides all materials needed.  

Our outreach team is also looking forward to participating in upcoming local community events to share prevention facts and fun activities with children and families. 

Learn more about IAA programs on our website https://www.inneractalliance.org/prevention-in-the-schools.html

For information about bringing free prevention programs to your school or community organization, please contact IAA's executive director, Angie Ellison, at (863) 802-0777.

Strategies for Mindful Internet Usage in Our Connected World

 

This month, we've featured blog posts about the impact of media use and technology on Generation Alpha and the Parents of Gen Alpha Kids and shared helpful information about potentially dangerous social media apps as well as the warning signs of cyberbullying. In the constantly connected world we live in, it's also important to practice digital mindfulness to help be more aware of our use of technology and its impact on our lives.

Studies show that for some teens, the line between the virtual world and the real world can sometimes be blurry. Although social apps and websites may be marketed as a safe and fun place to interact with others online, there is also a dark side that can shape the way teen feel about substance use.

Social media may influence some teens to experiment with dangerous substances like alcohol, tobacco, vaping, marijuana, and prescription drugs. When kids are influenced by images of young people partying, they may think it's the only way to have a good time. Some companies take advantage of this to market addictive substances to children and teens even though it's illegal to do so. Marketing tricks like hiring social media influencers to promote vaping products and offering promotional giveaways to attract school-age students have helped to create a new generation of young people hooked on nicotine.

Children and teens need adult guidance when it comes to the realities and dangers of social media usage. Teach them that what they post can adversely affect important relationships, hinder potential job opportunities, and impede their goals. A good tip is to get them in the habit of pausing for a minute to "think before they post" to avoid sharing impulsive content, images, and messages they may regret later.

What Can Parents and Caregivers Do to Keep Their Child Safe?

*Keep a watchful eye on your child's social media use
*Be aware of online sites they regularly visit
*Discuss dangers of interacting with strangers on social media
*Help teens think through consequences of online actions and dangers of trending challenges
*Remind youth that what others post may not reflect reality

Parents should remind teens that after scrolling the internet, they will return to living in the real world. And that's the world in which we need to live our lives - not the virtual one. 

For more tips to help keep children safe and drug free, visit the Partnership to End Addiction's website at www.drugfree.org

Trying Dry January – How’s It Going?

 

At just about the 3-week point of this month, how is your Dry January resolution coming along? Whether you're planning to take a full alcohol-free month or simply being more mindful about drinking habits, Dry January doesn't mean perfection. It's meant to help you reset, recharge, and rethink your relationship with alcohol as you move forward.

Checking-in is not about assigning a grade but more about what you've learned or if you've identified some useful takeaways from this experiment. 

Has Dry January been easier than expected? That may suggest your relationship with alcohol is more in the "habit" category than dependency. 👍

Was it hard at first, but things have been improving? That may mean your brain is adjusting to a "new normal" and not drinking is starting to feel more natural.🧠

Or is it still hard to fight the cravings? That may mean alcohol was playing a larger role in your life than you realized.🍹

Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy? If you feel better when you're not drinking or when your drinking is decreased, than your body is telling you something.😄

Special thanks to our friends at LAL Today for

 sharing local locations to try refreshing alcohol-free mocktails: 

https://laltoday.6amcity.com/guide-mocktails-lakeland?utm_term=laltoday&utm_campaign=daily-newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=laltoday&utm_content=laltoday   

For more info on how to recognize drinking patterns, acknowledge signs of a problem, or find tools to make a chance, visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov

Potentially Dangerous Social Media Apps Parents Should Know About

 

It's no secret that kids of all ages are on some type of social media on their digital devices. Some of these apps may not be suitable for all ages. Often, they may fly under the radar of parents so it's important to stay updated on the latest news about dangerous apps, viral trends, and online slang kids are using.

Monitor usage and know which apps your child has installed on their phone. Some may present opportunities that can potentially lead to bad decision-making and threaten the overall safety and privacy of your children. It may expose them to cyberbullying and explicit content - making them vulnerable to more dangerous types of interactions

Challenges also arise when children "hide" apps in folders or use "disguised" apps that make them difficult to recognize or find. In addition to physically checking their phones often, look into a more advanced reliable solution like a parental control app to make it easier to monitor your child's digital activities and access tools needed to restrict, block, or delete them as you see fit.

Teach your kids to be good social media stewards - encourage wise choices, never bully or accept being bullied. Encourage them to report any bad behavior from others right away to you. As a parent, you must stay vigilant to keep your kids and their digital experiences safe.

Celebrate the Life & Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

 

Often we take our freedom for granted and forget the pioneers who helped shape our great nation. Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader of the civil rights movement who championed justice and equality. Dr. King was a strong advocate of change through nonviolent civil actions. He was an outstanding speaker whose powerful words still resonate with us today.

Many family-friendly events have taken place during the holiday weekend in our community. If you missed the City of Lakeland's 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, our friends at LAL Today have kindly shared a link to watch from the Lakeland Government Network: https://media.lakelandgov.net/video/1155084848 

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life of service today, may we commit to making a positive impact on our world, no matter how big or small.

Stay Informed: Visit IAA Website & Follow Us on Social Media

 

Next time you're surfing the web, please bookmark our agency's website 

and follow us on social media to stay updated on news, information, 

and resources related to prevention of substance abuse.

https://www.inneractalliance.org/ 

https://www.facebook.com/InnerActAlliance/

  

https://www.facebook.com/UthMpactPolk?fref=ts 

https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPromofPolk

 

https://www.facebook.com/owntheupsidepolk 

https://inneractblogtownhallmeeting.blogspot.com/

Impact of Media Technology on Parents of Gen Alpha Kids

 

Continuing our look at the impact of Media Technologies on Generation Alpha kids, it stands to reason that it would also be important to check-in on internet use by the Parents of Generation Alpha children. 📱

Kids are like sponges - they are constantly absorbing information from world around them. From an early age, they are most influenced by the routines and behaviors learned from their parents and the adults who interact with them regularly during their lives. Generation Alpha children have been surrounded by adult use of digital technology and internet use from the beginning of their lives. And, their parents, primarily Millennials, are heavy social media users.

21st century parenting is firmly grounded in technology - and technology has impacted what it means to be a parent. A 2014 report from cybersecurity firm AVG stated that 6% of parents actually created a social media account, and 8% an email account, for their baby or toddler. Statistics shared by an online company specializing in pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing called Baby Center reported that 79% of Millennial mothers have used social media on a daily basis and 63% have used their smartphones more frequently since they became pregnant or gave birth. Today's moms report that the time they have spent on social media has increased 24% on Facebook and 33% on Instagram after becoming a mother.

Social media has added another dimension to the use of technology. In today's digital world, it is important to be aware of the risks that come with posting or sharing content online - especially when it comes to children. Oversharing can make kids vulnerable to identity theft and harassment. Nonprofit advocacy group Common Sense Media warns parents to take extreme care to guard privacy and monitor content they post. This helps protect from having their children's - as well as their own - personal information and/or photos fall into the wrong hands. The warning was issued after a Utah mother reportedly found a photograph of her children on a social media post with pornographic hashtags in May 2015.

On the upside, the Millennial generation's familiarity with the online world can be a positive factor to model common sense and healthy tech habits. It's a parent's responsibility to help kids learn to balance technology with real-world connections. Parents should stay involved in their child's online engagement, set boundaries for screen time, and teach good digital citizenship skills. Installing parental controls can also help guide safe and positive digital experiences. The goal is to build the trust and skills needed to make media one part of a healthy routine for the whole family. 👪