LAPS News:
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and with the current Coronavirus pandemic requiring physical distancing, now is a good time for parents to talk to their kids about alcohol and other drugs.
Parents play a key role in helping children develop healthy attitudes toward alcohol consumption.
When parents have clear expectations and explain their reasoning, young people are more likely to delay the onset of alcohol use.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Use and Alcoholism, research shows that protecting the developing adolescent brain from early alcohol use decreases the risk of alcohol dependence later in life. (Source: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/parenting-prevent-childhood-alcohol-use
During times of crisis, alcohol use in the general population tends to rise due to feelings of fear and the nature of isolation.
The stress of the pandemic may be especially hard on people struggling with addiction or trying to maintain sobriety. Modeling responsible behavior has a strong impact on children’s attitudes toward the use of alcohol.
Adults who are in recovery can demonstrate the importance of asking for help by accessing online support as needed. Resource: https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/virtual-recovery-resources.pdf
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm), in 2019, the Monitoring the Future Survey reported that 8% of 8th graders and 30% of 12th graders drank during the past 30 days.
Results from the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) show that in 2017, 22% of Los Alamos High School students reported currently drinking alcohol and 17.3% had taken their first drink before age 13.
The most common place for Los Alamos youth to consume alcohol is in private homes and 42.9% of 8th graders reported that it is easy to get alcohol.
Brandi Seekins, Prevention Support Specialist for Los Alamos Public Schools, encourages parents to have a conversation with their children about alcohol and other drugs using the following 5 goals from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) as a guide.
SAMHSA further recommends that parents keep the conversation casual and avoid having “the talk,” engaging instead in many small conversations over time starting at an early age. (Source: https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/parent-resources/five-conversation-goals)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) has a number of resources for parents to start talking with their children. The link to their website is https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/parent-resources.
For more information, contact Brandi Seekins at b.seekins@laschools.net.