In October of 2014, 30 parents of children in grades 6 – 9 in the Windham Central Supervisory Union took the WRVthrives’ Parent Survey. Bellow are some of the results:
Risk Factors
16% of parents said they think it is O.K. for youth ages 17-20 to drink alcohol
16% of parents said that it is likely that their child could access alcohol kept in the home
14% of parents know other parents who host parties where alcohol is served to teens
30% of parents have allowed their child to drink alcohol at home
Protective Factors
88% of parents said that they talked to their child at least 2-3 times about alcohol use in the past 12 months
85% of parents know what their child is doing after school
68% of parents agree that underage drinking is a problem
80% of parents ask their child if there will be alcohol present at parties/social gatherings they want to attend
93% of parents usually call to verify that a parent or responsible adult will be present at a party/social event
Ways parents can help prevent youth substance use:
– Create close family relationships
– Be consistent (i.e. practice what you preach, follow through on your word)
– Set high expectations for academic achievement and be involved in your child’s school
– Model and teach healthy coping strategies for dealing with stress
– Set clear expectations and boundaries regarding alcohol and other drug use
– Help your child create a plan for how he/she will respond if alcohol or drugs are offered to him/her