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Many SafeHomes Communities across the nation have recently added the parents of Elementary
Aged Students to the SafeHomes network. While the typical reaction from
parents of lower elementary age children is "we will deal with that
when the time comes!" we recognize some very special advantages to
early prevention efforts:
Starting early is easier and a continuation
of the prevention/protection efforts parents have used since their children
were born.
Developing expectations with logical/meaningful consequences is an effective
way to discipline (TEACH - not punish) children at any age, and about many
issues, not just alcohol and other drugs.
NETWORKING - communicating
with other parents provides an opportunity to develop constructive guidelines
and consistent limits on a wide variety of topics which today's parents
face. The earlier parents begin networking, the easier it is to continue
into the teen years.
Using a parent network and meaningful consequences when your children are
young allows kids to become used to these important boundaries; they can
expect parents to be communicating with each other throughout the school
years, even as they develop larger, different peer groups in junior and
senior high school.
Parents can take advantage of the fact that younger kids WANT parents to
take active, visible roles in school and/or school related activities. HOWEVER,
PARENTS MUST NOT BE LULLED INTO A FALSE SENSE OF COMPLACENCY BY THINKING
THAT EARLY PARTICIPATION IS ENOUGH.
Developmental changes that occur in preadolescence REQUIRE CONTINUED EFFORTS
AND ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT AFTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
In addition to these facts, parents of
younger children need accurate information about the surprisingly young
average age of first use; the effectiveness of advertising on even very
young children, where alcohol is concerned, and how it can influence children
to decide well before initial use that he/she wants to be a part of the
current scene; the likelihood of baby sitters and other teens (neighborhood
teens, relatives, etc) encouraging use.
ALL PARENTS
NEED AWARENESS AND OTHER ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
Schools and community organizations are doing their part in prevention efforts,
but educated parents are the real prevention for their children!
PROTECTIVE FACTORS & RISK FACTORS:
Risk factors tell us what to focus on to reduce unhealthy
behaviors. Protective factors are those whose characteristics and processes
that have been shown by research to mediate the negative effects of exposure
to risk factors by young people. The more risk factors present, the greater
the risk for alcohol and substance abuse.
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LIFE AREA OR "DOMAIN"
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PROTECTIVE FACTORS
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RISK FACTORS
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| Individual |
Positive personal characteristics,
including social skills and social responsiveness; cooperativeness;
emotional stability; positive sense of self; flexibility; problem-
solving skills; and low levels of defensiveness. Bonding to societal
institutions and values, including attachments to parents and extended
family; commitment to school; regular involvement with religious institutions;
and belief in society's values. Social and emotional competence, including
good communication skills; responsiveness; empathy;caring; sense of
humor; inclinations toward pro-social behavior; problem-solving skills
sense of autonomy; sense of purpose and of the future; and self-discipline. |
Inadequate life skills.
Lack of self-control, assertiveness, and peer-refusal skills. Low
self-esteem and self-confidence. Emotional and psychological problems.
Favorable attitudes toward substance use. Rejection of commonly held
values and religion. School failure. Lack of school bonding. Early
antisocial behavior, such as lying, stealing, and aggression, particularly
in boys, often combined with shyness or hyperactivity. |
| Family |
Positive bonding among family
members. Parenting that includes high levels of warmth and avoidance
of severe criticism; sense of basic trust; high parental expectations;
and clear and consistent expectations, including children's participation
in family decisions and responsibilities. An emotionally supportive
parental/family milieu, including parental attention to children's
interests; orderly and structured parent-child relationships; and
parent involvement in homework and school-related activities. |
Family conflict and domestic
violence. Family disorganization. Lack of family cohesion. Social
isolation of family. Heightened family stress. Family attitudes favorable
to drug use. Ambiguous, lax, or inconsistent rules and sanctions regarding
substance use. Poor child supervision and discipline. Unrealistic
expectations for development. |
| Peer |
Association with peers who
are involved in school, recreation, service, religion, or other organized
activities. |
Association with delinquent
peers who use or value dangerous substances. Association with peers
who reject mainstream activities or pursuits. Susceptibility to negative
peer pressure. Strong external locus of control. |
| School |
Caring and support; sense
of "community" in classroom and school. High expectations
from school personnel. Clear standards and rules for appropriate behavior.
Youth participation, involvement, and responsibility in school tasks
and decisions. |
Ambiguous, lax, or inconsistent
rules and sanctions regarding drug use and student conduct. Favorable
staff and student attitudes toward substance use. Harsh or arbitrary
student management practices. Availability of dangerous substances
on school premises. Lack of school bonding. |
| Community |
Caring and support. High
expectations of youth. Opportunities for youth participation in community
activities. |
Community disorganization.
Lack of community bonding. Lack of cultural pride. Lack of competence
in majority culture. Community attitudes favorable to drug use. Ready
availability of dangerous substances. Inadequate youth services and
opportunities for pro-social involvement. |
| Society |
Media literacy (resistance
to pro-use messages).
Decreased accessibility. Increased pricing through taxation. Raised
purchasing age and enforcement. Stricter driving-while-under-the-influence
laws. |
Impoverishment. Unemployment
and Underemployment. Discrimination. Pro-drug-use messages in the
media. |
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