Monday, April 6, 2009

Home Alone

Spring Break Season Begins In South Beach

Today marks the start of Spring Break for a good many teenagers across the country. Good news for them, not-so-good-news for parents. In the real, working world, there’s no such thing as a Spring Break, and with so many parents working outside the home, many teenagers will be home alone this week. According to the Office of National Drug Control, “teens with unsupervised time are three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs. And unsupervised teens are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as underage drinking, sexual activity, and cigarette smoking than other teens.”

In a recent poll, almost 60 percent of parents believed their kids were not honest with them about what went on during Spring Break. In fact, over half of all kids said they lied to their parents about what went on during Spring Break.

So, what can you do to ensure that your teen will stay out of trouble while you’re punching the clock, miles away from home? Here are five helpful tips from TheAntiDrug.com:


1. Always ask your teens where they are going, who they'll be with and what they'll be doing.

2. Set rules for checking in (via text, phone call, etc.) at pre-determined times.

3. Work with other parents to get a list of everyone's addresses, e-mails, and phone numbers so you can get in touch with your teens and their friends.

4. Safeguard all prescription and over-the-counter drugs at home, and put away all alcoholic beverages.

5. Talk to your teen regularly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and learn the facts. Go to TheAntiDrug.com for talking tips, conversation starters and all the facts about teens and risky behaviors.






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