As the song goes, “Summertime
and the livin’ is easy…” but the summer months also bring new challenges for
parents to keep kids safe with more free time on their hands and invitations to
attend beach outings, barbecues, and pool parties. All these social events create
great memories but they also present opportunities for teens to face pressure
to engage in unhealthy behaviors with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. This
makes the start of summer a critical time for parents to talk with their kids, set
clear expectations about behavior, and keep in close contact, to help them make
smart decisions, stay safe, and avoid risky situations.
According to statistics reported by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) in their National Survey on Drug Use and Health
(NSDUH), teens and college students most often use substances for the first
time during the months of June and July. Parents need to be vigilant to
recognize signs that their child might be experimenting with substances. Clues
may be hidden away deliberately or visible in plain sight. Parents need to know
what to look for because, in today’s world, there are many items that can be
purchased online to hide substance use including JUUL e-cigarettes that look
like USB flash drives, flasks disguised as sunscreen or lotion containers, smart
phone cases, or even CBD gummy candies.
The Good News is that there are resources available to help parents become
more aware and set firm guidelines for their children regarding acceptable
choices and behaviors to help navigate them through summer months when
socializing peaks! Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership is a nonprofit
organization that offers awesome parenting tips for talking to kids about alcohol
and drugs as well as healthy living messages and information about the latest
drug trends on its website at www.informedfamilies.org.
Their new campaign “Safe Homes Smart Parents” is part of a statewide initiative
to ensure that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes will not be permitted at parties that
parents host at their home as well discouraged at parties held by others in the
community. You can be held liable both civilly and criminally if any person
under the age of 21 has been found drinking alcohol in your home or on your property.
This is especially important if parents are planning to go out of town without
their kids because homes where parents are absent can often become party sites.
InnerAct Alliance has an informative new resource to educate parents of
teens in our community. Offered in partnership with the Polk Sheriff’s Charities,
Inc., the “Own the Upside…Avoid the Downside” trailer is a mobile,
interactive exhibit housing a replica of a teens’ bedroom. Parents can walk
through to learn how to recognize clues signaling potential involvement in
drugs and risky behaviors visible in plain sight or easily concealed in
everyday items and seemingly ordinary belongings in the room. Civic groups and organizations may invite a representative to
visit with the “Own the Upside…Avoid the Downside” trailer and share an informative
presentation. Call (863) 802-0777 or visit https://www.owntheupsidepolk.com/ to arrange a presentation.
Your kids will listen to you! Open family communication helps teens understand the dangers of alcohol
and substance abuse and reassures them that they can still have fun while
staying out of harm’s way. Stay safe and enjoy summertime!
