Parenting
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Free Tweens/Teens Parent Handbook
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| Free Manual to Talk to Kids About Drinking |
It's a common misperception that abuse of illegal drugs like marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, heroine, and others are the main substance usage issue with which parents of adolescents must contend. What I was surprised to learn, and you probably will too, is that alcohol is actually the number one drug of choice for youth and underage drinking takes more lives than all other illicit drugs combined.
April 21st is #PowerTalk21 Day
Since April is Alcohol Awareness Month there's no better time than now to have the talk with your children about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking as well as drunk driving for those kids of driving age. Plus tomorrow, April 21st is #PowerTalk21, the annual day for parents to start talking with their children about alcohol.
A MADD and Nationwide Survey shows that one-third of parents believe the ages they should start talking with their children about alcohol are 14-18, in high school. But, research shows compelling statistics that prove otherwise and are enough to get every mom and dad on board
- Kids start weighing the pros and cons of underage drinking as early as age 8
- One in four middle school students have tried alcohol by the end of 8th grade
- Parents remain the biggest influence on their teens not to drink, even more so than their teens’ friends
- Teens are 80 percent less likely to drink if parents deliver a clear no alcohol before 21 message
The bottom line is no one needs to convince you that underage drinking is irresponsible and that drunk driving kills because it's an unfortunate reality that a person in the U.S. is killed by a drunk driver every 52 minutes. In fact, whether or not you're a parent yourself, I bet you are aware of at least one teen drunk driving incident in your community where serious injury or death resulted. The good news is that drunk driving deaths are 100% preventable and Mother's Against Drunk Driving MADD is here to help us all.
How to Talk to Your Kids About Underage Drinking
Help is here. MADD's Power of Parents® program was created to empower parents to feel more confident and to get the converstation started about talking with your children about the dangers of underage drinking and by extention the consequences of drinking and driving. A variety of age-appropriate resources are offered to support parents that are completely free of charge.
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- New Power of Parents Handbook for Parents of Middle Schoolers (Grades 6-8) which you can DOWNLOAD HERE
- Power of Parents High School Handbook available to DOWNLOAD HERE
FTC Disclosure: I was contacted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving to help reach parents to give them the tools they need to talk with their children about the dangers of underage drinking. By publishing this blogpost I have been entered into a contest win a giftcard. Nationwide is the PowerTalk 21 national presenting sponsor, and the GM Foundation is the national supporting partner. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's home page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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