“Underage drinking is a harmless rite of passage.”
Really? Is that so?
“Teaching my child to drink will lead to moderation in the future.”
Ever heard one of these?
“I drank and smoked pot in my youth and lived to tell the tale. My child will too.”
Ever believed it?
“If it’s prescribed by a doctor, it’s harmless.”
Are common myths masquerading themselves as common sense? If enough people around you are saying the same thing, whether it’s true or false, do you start to question your own judgment, knowledge?
“If my child ‘parties’ and still gets good grades, he/she doesn’t have a problem.”
Our Safe Homes Smart Parties campaign aims to inform and empower parents of underage youth to set guidelines around springtime parties to ensure that drugs and alcohol are not present or tolerated. We know that underage drinking is responsible for 4,300 deaths and 189,000 emergency room visits each year. This isn’t make believe.
“Marijuana is a plant so it’s not harmful or addictive. It’s natural.”
According to extensive research (22 studies) published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, “parental provision was generally associated with increased adolescent alcohol use and, in some instances, increased heavy episodic drinking as well as higher rates of alcohol-related problems.”
“It cannot happen to my child.”
Peer pressure is real…and I’m not referring to the kind our children face. I’m talking about us. If you are aware of the facts about alcohol and drugs, but want to be accepted by other parents who take a more passive approach…how would you respond? Do you step out on a limb and advocate for your child’s health or do you go with the flow and hope for the best?
“Drug addiction is found mainly in inner cities, among the very poor.”
No one is immune to drug addiction. It’s an equal opportunity destroyer. It’s up to us as parents to educate ourselves and our children – and work with other parents to build a safety net for our children.
“But, if it does happen to my child, I’ll send him/her to rehab and the problem will be solved.”
Think it can’t happen to your child? Ask any parent with an addicted child or a parent who lost a child as a result of underage drinking-related causes what they think about that.
“Everyone is doing it. I might as well accept it and just keep an eye on it.”
We don’t want to scare or depress you. We just want to give you a gentle reminder that if you take certain, well-researched steps, you are exponentially less likely to encounter with your child. Just by clearly and consistently expressing your disapproval, your child is much less likely to engage in underage drinking or drug use.
Denial in not just a river in Egypt. Denial is the river in your head that keeps you from seeing through the myths!!!
You. Are. Not. Alone. We are here for you and so is a large network of parents from across Florida. Visit our website, check us out on social media and give us a call. We have your back.