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HEALTHY
STUDENT SUPPORT
Drug
& Alcohol Awareness Program - IHS students met Washington
State Attorney General Rob McKenna in February
2008 who spoke on Washington State teen risk trends. He addressed
alcohol use, teen credit abuse and teen identity theft as well as the
ramifications of methamphetamine use in our state with its associated crime
increases. The presentation can be viewed at http://ihsptsa.blip.tv/.
Parents, Teens & the Law Booklet
The Parents, Teens & the Law booklet is
now on our school website under Parent Information. This is a resource guide to help you and your
teens understand the risks, laws and consequences of driving, drinking and
drugs. It also contains great
information for communicating with your teens and signs to watch out for, along
with a list of local area resources for counseling and advice.
The teen
years can be a trying time for your child.
The stress of school and expectations can mount and depression, anxiety
or substance abuse can result. Sometimes
the signs between normal adolescent behavior and signs indicating substance
abuse or use can be a matter of degrees.
As a parent, you have to rely on your knowledge of normal behavior and
act on it. Ignoring these behaviors will
not make them go away and may harm your teen.
If you suspect problems, contact a counselor or advisor. List of names of help agencies are at the
back of the Parents, Teens & the Law
booklet.
Here
are some tips to help you and your teen make it through:
LEARN!!!!!
·
Learn
as much as you can about substance abuse and use
·
Learn
about the signs for anxiety, depression and suicide
·
Learn
to communicate and teach your teen how to communicate
o
Don’t
ask 2 questions in a row, without getting an answer to the first one
o
Don’t
ask “why” questions - they lead to defensiveness
·
Learn
about your computer
o
What
websites are your teens visiting?
o
Review
IM away messages and find out if they have a “My Space” website
·
Ask
your teen to tell you about “facebook” and “My Space”
and teach your teen about problems with posting information on a website. It’s open to EVERYONE.
BE THE ENFORCER!!!
·
Use
tough love. Surveys of teens show it
works.
·
Don’t
be a friend….be a parent. Provide
structure and guidelines
·
Ask
tough questions: “Where are you
going? Are the parents
home? Will there be alcohol or drugs
there? Are you thinking of suicide?”
BE THERE FOR YOUR
KIDS!!!!!
·
Listen!!!! Be there for your kids when they fall (and
they will) and help them know that they can learn from their mistakes
·
Tell
your teen that their effort is important …. that they
don’t have to be perfect.
·
Praise
your teen and give them hugs. And then
more hugs!!! They need your approval.
For more
information about Healthy Student Support programs, contact the PTSA chairs for
this committee: Nancy
Campi and Dianne Buggé