DrugFreeAzKids News

Off to College: 3 Ways Parents Can Help

No matter what age and grade they are, our kids still need our guidance—that goes for our college kids, too! As they embark on a new chapter in their lives as freshmen, or as they prepare to return for sophomore, junior or senior years, they still need to hear from parents.

What's Ahead For Your Kids This School Year?

Back to school means new teachers, new friends and new routines for your family.

With all of the fun and opportunities ahead, is your family adequately prepared for the challenges our Arizona kids face?

The Dangers of Inhalants

Parents worry about their teenagers experimenting with drugs on the street or at school, but many never stop to consider their teen may be getting high from products found in their own home.
 

The facts:

When Parents Are Away...

Summertime is probably a teenager’s favorite time of the year—no school, no homework and no supervision. How are parents supposed to keep an eye on their children while they are at work? The transition from supervision at school to no supervision during summertime can be challenging for some adolescents to cope with.

In fact, studies show that teens who haven’t tried drugs or alcohol are more likely to start during times of transition to deal with the stress.

Here are some ways that parents can help their teenagers stay drug-free during the summer:

Heroin: What Parents Need to Know

In the last week or so, we’ve seen heroin become a more prominent topic in the news. From “Glee” star Cory Monteith’s heroin and alcohol overdose, to large quantities of heroin found in Phoenix, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about it in the news—and so have your kids.

How can parents turn this into an opportunity for prevention?

Parenting: Who Wins?

In the battle of kids versus parents, the winner of this argument is…

Well, it’s a trick question. In a well-balanced family, there shouldn’t be a winner.

Don’t panic if your household does have a bit of a battle going. We have some great tips from last week’s “Parenting Secrets (Part 1)” webinar that might help you strike a happy balance in your house.

To gauge an accurate snapshot of your family’s relationship, think about these questions:

Summer Updates & Drug News

I don’t know about your summer, but around DrugFreeAz.org, ours has been flying by!

To Solve or Not to Solve?

That is the age-old dilemma facing parents when it comes to their kids’ problems.

Consider this scenario: You’re busy going about your morning when you receive a panicked phone call from your child at school. They forgot their homework (again). What do you do?

What’s Your Parenting Personality?

When you stop to think about your parenting style, would you classify yourself as the absolute ruler of your house or the doormat that gets walked all over? That may sound extreme, but parenting usually does fall into those two categories, versus being a happy medium.

Here’s some food for thought:

Dads Are Key In Prevention

Father’s Day is this Sunday and let’s face it, the duties of a father are never-ending. Whether you’re a dad or the person that plays dad in your family, providing for and keeping your child healthy and happy are an integral part to fatherhood.

At times, daddy duties can be overwhelming but rest assured: fatherhood is more than the sleepless nights and being the occasional chauffeur to a pack of rowdy kids. Fatherhood is an opportunity to be a powerful influence in your child’s life.