Resources for Families As the parent of a child who goes to St. Paul Public Schools,
we know that you live in the wonderful and wacky world of
Parenthood. This world is subject to multiple changes in
your child’s life, both physical and emotional, at the same time
that you are subjected to the pressures and changes of your
own health, work and extended family living.
Our schools strive to create an optimal learning environment
so that your child can achieve the skills he or she needs to
grow into a healthy and well-rounded person, ready to create
success in their lives and our community.
However, all of us are surrounded by the songs, commercials,
and movies that glamorize alcohol and drug use. Your child is
moving through many transitions, from changing grades and
schools, to physiological and emotional development, to personal
and family challenges. At these times of transition, the risk
of drug abuse greatly increases.
The Facts About Teens, Alcohol, and Other Drugs
• The drug teens are most likely to use and abuse is alcohol.
• Children rarely try marijuana, cocaine, or other ‘hard’ drugs
without first having used alcohol and tobacco.
• Today’s marijuana is 10-20 times stronger than the marijuana
used in the 1960s.
• Adolescents can become addicted to alcohol in a short amount
of time.
• The younger a child starts drinking, the greater the chance of
becoming an alcoholic.
• Ninety percent of 9-12th graders and 80% of 6-8th graders who
use drugs get the drugs from their friends, and use mostly on
Friday and Saturday nights.
• More than 15-20% of all children will be classified as serious
substance abusers before they become adults.
What can you do as a Parent?
The first step is to become informed.
• Know who your children hang out with
• Know what they are doing
• Know where they are
• Know when they’ll be home
As a parent, you are your child’s first and best protection
against tobacco, alcohol and other drug use. You can give your
child the guidance, limits and love they need to grow up free from
the problems of drug use.
There is no guarantee that your child will not choose to use
tobacco, drink alcohol or use other drugs, but you as a parent play
a critical role in influencing that decision.
Involved parents are those who pay attention and take action to:
• monitor what children do on the Internet
• restrict music CD’s and video games that promote violence,
sex, and drug use
• know where their children are after schools and on weekends
• keep up with their teen’s academic performance and homework
• impose a curfew
• talk about their expectations that their children not use chemicals
• spend family time together every day at meals and other activities
• assign family chores and responsibilities to all family members
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