Pubdate: Tue, 15 Nov 2005
Source: La Crosse Tribune (WI)
Copyright: 2005, The La Crosse Tribune
Contact:  http://www.lacrossetribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/229
Author: The Rev. Norbert P. Dall, New Lisbon, WI
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

PARENTS ARE THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE

Joseph A. Califano Jr., former federal secretary of 
Health/Education/Welfare has just published the 10th annual survey of 
12- to 17-year-olds by the National Center on Addiction and Substance 
Abuse at Columbia University.

It has a loud and clear message: Parents, if you want to raise 
drug-free kids, you cannot just place responsibility on their schools 
or law enforcement.

The odds are that drugs may be used, kept or sold at our schools, and 
laws prohibiting teen use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs will 
have minor output.

What will motivate youths to stay drug free is how they perceive, he 
says, how Mom and Dad react to their smoking, drinking and drug use, 
their sense of immorality of such use by someone their age and 
whether they consider such use harmful to their health. Engaged and 
nourishing parents have the best shot at giving their youth the will 
and skills to say "no."

Parents have an important responsibility to monitor their children's 
conduct and know their children's friends. The good news is that 
strong, positive family relationships are a powerful deterrent. 
Frequent family dinners with religion encouraging an important part 
of their lives are the real sources of strength.

Americans' drug problem is not going to be solved in courtrooms, 
legislative hearing rooms or school rooms - or by judges, politicians 
or teachers. But it will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms 
and across kitchen tables by parents and families.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman