SAFE SUBSTANCE–FREE SUMMERTIME!

Have a Safe Substance-Free Summer!

Summer should be a time for chilling out, not stressing out. That goes for parents as well as kids. It’s no secret that vacation time can be a risky time for teens. Some tend to make poor decisions when they have unstructured, unsupervised time.  The lack of structure and supervision, added freedom, and more time with friends may increase temptation to experiment with alcohol and drugs.

In the July 2^nd edition of Drug Free Charlotte County’s Prevention Wire Newsletter, former DFCC Executive Director, Amity Chandler, shared some excellent tips to prepare for summer with teens:

Out with Alcohol – It’s a good idea to throw out any left-over liquor bottles that are sitting around from the holiday parties. If teens are going to experiment, it will likely be with items around the home that you are least likely to look at or touch. This also means old prescriptions and the cigarettes you might have quit a month ago. Also consider most Florida teens say when they drink they do so at another friend’s home. Consider the possibility that there’s a parent somewhere that hasn’t gotten the memo...talk to the parents of our friends and ask direct questions, such as, does my teen have access to alcohol in your home? Worst-case scenario is you’ll embarrass your teen. Let’s just say it won’t be the first or last time.

Banish the Boredom Blues – Don’t let your teens fall victim to the “I’m bored” routine. Work with your teens to make plans in advance and stick with a 24-hour notice rule for any outside activity they have planned outside of the home. Ensuring that teens are engaged in positive activities like camps, volunteering, or supervised outings with friends can be a great way to deter youth from things that are harmful to them, like alcohol and other drug use.

Secure Safe Summer Relationships – Summer jobs are great for teaching responsibility, earning money, and other valuable life lessons for teens. But, a summer job can also be a gateway resulting in relationships between your teen and older, legal drinking-age individuals. Talk to your teen about work relationships, new friends, and your expectations while they are working for the summer, including curfews and work hours.

Schedule Summer Fun – Besides structured activities and guidelines, plan for summer fun and down time too! These days teenagers are often more stressed and over-extended than previous generations of teens. Sleeping in or enjoying days at the beach with an approved list of friends might be just what they need to decompress. Do some fun things as a family too, such as going to the movies, taking a walk, or sharing a meal out.

Teens who spend time, talk, and have a close relationship with their parents are much less likely to drink, take drugs, or have sex. Have a fun summer!