For change to occur; first, as parents, we have to be willing to open our eyes to the teen alcohol and substance abuse in our communities and in our schools. Clearly, there’s a concern when our kids call their hometowns: Smoke Park, Reefer Forest.
Jim Powers, a University of Illinois researcher and LCSW, as part of his research, conducted a teen focus group posing this big question: How prevalent is the availability of drugs and alcohol at OPRFHS?
Our teens’ answer: “Everyone knows someone who can get it easily and they can get the drugs and alcohol anytime, anyplace, anywhere that they want.”
OPEN YOUR EYES WIDE: (Get more information at http://www.oakparktownship.org then click on OPRF drug free teens for more information.)
THEN, REFLECT: What are my values and do I stand by them? Consider: What are the messages (direct and indirect) I send to my kid about alcohol and drug use by my own behaviors and attitudes?
