Parental Monitoring Can Carry Over to College
Parents who carefully monitor their children during high school have a direct effect on reducing their teen's alcohol consumption and that may have a protective effect on students' drinking at college. Those who drink more in high school are generally the students who drink more in college, according to a Center for Substance Abuse Research study.
In a study of 1,200 students participating in the College Life Study, the researchers determined the number of drinks per day they reported in the summer before entering college and compared that to their consumption during the first year in college.
Regardless of the students' gender, race or religiosity, lower levels of high-school drinking were associated with higher levels of parental supervision.
High Risk Transition to College
Although parental monitoring did not directly influence alcohol consumption in college, the authors wrote, there was evidence that high school drinking mediates the relationship between the two factors. In other words, the higher the drinking in high school, the higher the drinking in college.
"In summary, the transition to college marks a high-risk period for escalation of alcohol consumption," the authors said in a news release. "Parents and prevention practitioners can benefit from evidence that points to specific parenting practices that might help reduce the risk for heavy drinking, while at the same time allow for appropriate levels of autonomy that are critical for young adult development."
The researchers also said their results challenge the opinion of many parents who think "responsible drinking" should begin in high school, because those who begin drinking in high school are the heaviest drinkers in college.
Source: Arria, Amelia M., et. al. "High school drinking mediates the relationship between parental monitoring and college drinking: A longitudinal analysis" Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy. 7 March 2008 More Information:
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Parents need to take the lead against drug abuse
By Rev. Ned Wicker,
I remember a conversation I had with a police detective some 35 years ago. He was telling me about what a mother had told him over the phone about her teen-aged son. “Once he’s out of the house, he’s not our problem.” The detective, who served an upscale suburban community, was explaining to me that parents can be irresponsible and in his mind almost criminal in their neglect of children.
Parents are the most important people in a child’s life. They set the tone for everything. If parents abuse drugs, the children are likely to abuse drugs. If husbands beat their wives, their sons will likely be wife beaters too. If parents divorce and abandon their children, those children are not likely to become model parents either. Parents are the front line in the prevention of drug abuse and there’s so much they can do to try to secure the best possible future for their children.
The trouble is parents want schools to do everything. Teachers become parents, because “once he’s out of the house he’s not our problem.” What happens in the home is more important than what happens in the classroom. Parents can set the example by being informed. That begins with understanding the dangers of prescription medication. What is in your medicine cabinet? Do you know what medications are in the house, and how much of that medication you have? Are medications out of date?
Take an inventory and keep track of what is in the house.
If a medication runs out too quickly, that is a sign that someone might be abusing that drug. Talk to your kids and make this a family project.
Teens especially will experiment with drugs. They hear about the experiences of their friends. They want to be cool and part of the crowd. If they experiment with the drugs in your house, what will happen? If you have a pain medication, what will that do? If you have a stimulant of some kind, what will that do? What are the dangers of overdose? Ask yourself, what are the dangers to my child?
Take control. Be the parent, the adult. Have an open conversation with your children about drugs, especially the drugs in your house. Stay on top of it and know the inventory. Make connections with principals and teachers at the school, with your family doctor and pharmacist, and with local law enforcement officials.
Be savvy. Know what is in your house, in the community and the potential negative impact it will have on your family. Drug abuse prevention starts in the home with responsible parents. Having this family discussion and having a plan about how to handle the medications in your home will be an effective preventative measure.