This is the third in a series of blogs looking at the importance of minor in possession (MIP) classes for our nation's youth. In the prior blogs, we discovered that children, 10 and under, understand how dangerous alcohol and drugs are, and were committed not to use them. However, we also saw the record number of adolescents using alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs. This is a sad reality!
To what do you attribute the use of alcohol and drugs among teens after those same kids vowed to never use them as children?
As onlinealcoholclass.com rolls out its Michigan MIP class, I speak directly to those in East Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit. What are you personally doing to keep your children from trying drugs and alcohol?
These days it isn't enough for a parent just to be a good role model. The sad reality is that the internet and their peers have a great influence and so parents must be proactive. Clearly defined expectations and ongoing communication is critical. Staying involved with your teenagers and getting to know their friends, their choices, their likes and dislikes. Knowing how they spend their time online and which sites they frequent. What social media are they involved in?
Since the internet is interactive it is different than television. So, teenagers are growing up in a different world. The internet is also changing so rapidly that it can be challenging to keep up. Especially, if you are not computer savvy.
This is why I encourage all parents to enroll themselves and their children ages 10 and up in onlinealcoholclass.com's Michigan MIP course. Here is a link. Take the course together and discuss the information.