As a follow-up to the very successful Drug Take Back Day that was held recently in our community, I want to talk about some ways that we can help protect our children from drug abuse and addiction.  Some of this information is from an article on the website Parents. The Anti-Drug.

Several national studies have just released statistics revealing that more teens abuse prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs than any other illicit drug, except marijuana. Among 12 and 13 year olds, prescription drugs are their drug of choice.  The news is staggering: over 2 million teens and preteens abuse prescription drugs every year; over 3 million people ages 12 to 25 have used cough medicine to get high.  Prescription drug abuse kills more people than methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin combined.     

This means that millions of us parents and grandparents have been caught off-guard while an epidemic of drug abuse has been occurring in our communities and often right in our own homes. The good news is that we have the power to prevent our children’s access to medicines abused as drugs.

What can we do? There are a few easy ways to begin:

1. Safeguard all drugs at home. Review all medications – including prescription medications and OTC medications – that you are storing: find a place to lock them so that only you have access.

2.  Properly conceal and dispose of old or unused medicines — and control the distribution of every prescription written for your family members.  Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) medications such as Adderall and Ritalin are being shared among teens. Prescription painkillers are widely abused, and even antidepressants and high blood pressure medicines are being shared among our teenagers. If your child is taking a prescription drug for any reason, be sure that he or she is not selling, sharing, or increasing his or her own dosage. Ask your prescribing doctor to review the proper use and dosage of each medication with your child. Monitor dosage and use. The Drug Take Back Day that was held in April will be an annual event, so that will give you a safe, easy, and environmentally friendly way to dispose of old and unused drugs annually.

3.  Talk to your teen and preteen about the dangers of abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when abused, can be just as dangerous as street drugs. Tell your teen the risks far outweigh any “benefits.”

Set clear rules for teens about all drug use, including not sharing medicine.
Define prescription and OTC drug abuse and clarify why it is so important to not share medicine and to always follow the medical provider’s advice and dosages.  Teens should never take prescription or OTC drugs with street drugs or alcohol, which tragically is happening all too frequently. 

 Read up!  And be prepared to discuss the dangers of abuse.  Parents. The Anti-Drug website is a good place to begin.  Remember that one of your most powerful tools in preventing drug abuse is expressing your disappointment in your child’s behavior. Most teens say that losing their parents’ approval is their number one reason to not use drugs.

4.  Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines.

Examine your own behavior to ensure you set a good example. If you misuse your prescription drugs, such as sharing them with your kids or anyone else or abusing them yourself, your teen will take notice. Always follow your medical provider’s instructions.

5. Ask friends and family to safeguard their prescription drugs as well.

Make sure your friends and relatives, especially grandparents, know about the risks, too, and encourage them to regularly monitor their own medicine cabinets. If there are other households your teen has access to, talk to those families as well about the importance of safeguarding medications. If you don’t know the parents of your child’s friends, then make an effort to get to know them, and get on the same page about rules and expectations for use of all drugs, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Follow up with your teen’s school administration to find out what they are doing to address issues of prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse in schools.

By working together, we can help to make this a drug free community.

As a follow-up to the very successful Drug Take Back Day that was held recently in our community, I want to talk about some ways that we can help protect our children from drug abuse and addiction.  Some of this information is from an article on the website Parents. The Anti-Drug.

Several national studies have just released statistics revealing that more teens abuse prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs than any other illicit drug, except marijuana. Among 12 and 13 year olds, prescription drugs are their drug of choice.  The news is staggering: over 2 million teens and preteens abuse prescription drugs every year; over 3 million people ages 12 to 25 have used cough medicine to get high.  Prescription drug abuse kills more people than methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin combined.     

This means that millions of us parents and grandparents have been caught off-guard while an epidemic of drug abuse has been occurring in our communities and often right in our own homes. The good news is that we have the power to prevent our children’s access to medicines abused as drugs.

What can we do? There are a few easy ways to begin:

1. Safeguard all drugs at home. Review all medications – including prescription medications and OTC medications – that you are storing: find a place to lock them so that only you have access.

2.  Properly conceal and dispose of old or unused medicines — and control the distribution of every prescription written for your family members.  Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) medications such as Adderall and Ritalin are being shared among teens. Prescription painkillers are widely abused, and even antidepressants and high blood pressure medicines are being shared among our teenagers. If your child is taking a prescription drug for any reason, be sure that he or she is not selling, sharing, or increasing his or her own dosage. Ask your prescribing doctor to review the proper use and dosage of each medication with your child. Monitor dosage and use. The Drug Take Back Day that was held in April will be an annual event, so that will give you a safe, easy, and environmentally friendly way to dispose of old and unused drugs annually.

3.  Talk to your teen and preteen about the dangers of abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when abused, can be just as dangerous as street drugs. Tell your teen the risks far outweigh any “benefits.”

Set clear rules for teens about all drug use, including not sharing medicine.  Define prescription and OTC drug abuse and clarify why it is so important to not share medicine and to always follow the medical provider’s advice and dosages.  Teens should never take prescription or OTC drugs with street drugs or alcohol, which tragically is happening all too frequently. 

Read up!  And be prepared to discuss the dangers of abuse.  Parents. The Anti-Drug website is a good place to begin.  Remember that one of your most powerful tools in preventing drug abuse is expressing your disappointment in your child’s behavior. Most teens say that losing their parents’ approval is their number one reason to not use drugs.

4.  Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines.  Examine your own behavior to ensure you set a good example. If you misuse your prescription drugs, such as sharing them with your kids or anyone else or abusing them yourself, your teen will take notice. Always follow your medical provider’s instructions.

5. Ask friends and family to safeguard their prescription drugs as well.  Make sure your friends and relatives, especially grandparents, know about the risks, too, and encourage them to regularly monitor their own medicine cabinets. If there are other households your teen has access to, talk to those families as well about the importance of  medications. If you don’t know the parents of your child’s friends, then make an effort to get to know them, and get on the same page about rules and expectations for use of all drugs, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Follow up with your teen’s school administration to find out what they are doing to address issues of prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse in schools.

By working together, we can help to make this a drug free community.

As we all know, during recent years there has been an increase in the number of individuals who are addicted to prescription drugs.  More people are dying as a result of the abuse of prescription drugs than from the use of illegal drugs.  Many adolescents are involved in parties during which they consume, along with alcohol, prescription drugs that they have stolen from their parents, grandparents, etc.  Many people never consider that their medicine cabinets might be the jumping off point for the young people they love and strive to protect.   People who would never dream of leaving a loaded gun in the presence of a child will leave dangerous drugs within in their reach and never give it a second thought.  

Now a new study sheds more light on this subject.  Anxiety, depression, stress and social support can predict early alcohol and illegal drug use in young people, according to a study from Carolyn McCarty, PhD, of Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and researchers from the University of Washington and Seattle University.  Middle school students from the sixth to the eighth grade who felt more emotional support from teachers reported a delay in alcohol and other illicit substance initiation. Those who reported higher levels of separation anxiety from their parents were also at decreased risk for early alcohol use. The study, “Emotional Health Predictors of Substance Use Initiation during Middle School,” was published in advance online in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

Relatively few studies have examined support for youth from nonfamily members of the adolescent’s social support network, including teachers. “Our results were surprising,” said Dr. McCarty, who is also a University of Washington research associate professor.  “We have known that middle school teachers are important in the lives of young people, but this is the first data-driven study which shows that teacher support is associated with lower levels of early alcohol use.”  Middle school students defined teacher support as feeling close to a teacher or being able to talk with a teacher about problems they are experiencing.

The study also found that youth who initiated alcohol and other illicit drug use prior to sixth grade had significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms.  This suggests that depression may be a consequence of very early use or a risk factor for initiation of use prior to the middle school years.  Depression was defined by asking youth about their mood and feelings, and asking them if statements such as “I felt awful or unhappy” and “I felt grumpy or upset with my parents” were true, false or sometimes true during a two-week timeframe. 

“Based on the study and our findings, substance use prevention needs to be addressed on a multidimensional level,” said Dr. McCarty.  “We need to be aware of and monitor early adolescent stress levels, and parents, teachers and adults need to tune into kids’ mental health.  We know that youth who initiate substance abuse before age 14 are at a high risk of long-term substance abuse problems and myriad health complications.” 

Dr. McCarty Offers tips for parents to help reduce early drug and alcohol use:

• Know where your child is, and check in with your child on a regular basis. 
• Get to know your child’s friends, and who your child spends time with. 
• Teach stress management skills. 
• Help your child feel connected with adults at school.  

Other tips for parents include: safeguarding and monitoring quantities of your medications, being a good role model yourself regarding drug use, setting clear rules about drug use, and asking family and friends to also safeguard their medications.

On Saturday, April 28^th at various locations, the Dalton Police Department, the Whitfield Sheriff’s Department, and the Murray County Sheriff’s Department will be collecting old and unused medications between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. This will keep these drugs out of the hands of our young people and provide an environmentally safe disposal method.  There will be more information about this important event closer to the time, but the locations are as follows:

·        Dalton Community Center

·        K-Mart Walnut Ave.

·        Whitfield County Schools Central Office

·        White’s Pharmacy

·        Bi-Lo Maddox Parkway, Chatsworth

Warmer weather is fast approaching and with it comes the seemingly inevitable news that a child has died from heat stroke while trapped in a vehicle.  It has been known to happen in February if the temperature reaches the low 70’s.  But typically around the middle or end of March we hear of the first event of the year – a disturbing, horrific incident of an infant or toddler dying from being trapped in a sweltering car. The risks and causes of these hyperthermia deaths are well-known, and this tragic mishap occurred 33 times in 2011. 

An examination of media reports about the 494 child vehicular hyperthermia deaths for a thirteen year period (1998 through 2011) shows the following circumstances:

• 52% – child “forgotten” by caregiver (253 Children)
• 30% – child playing in unattended vehicle (150)
• 17% – child intentionally left in vehicle by adult  (86)
• 1% – circumstances unknown (5)

Children that have died from vehicular hyperthermia in the United States (1998-2011) have ranged in age from 5 days to 14 years.  More than half of the deaths are children under 2 years of age, and about two thirds are children under the age of 6.  Parents running quick errands may think their cars will remain cool; but even on mild days, temperatures inside vehicles can rise to dangerous levels in just minutes. A young child’s core body temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult, causing permanent injury and even death.

The family car parked in the driveway can also be dangerous. Unlocked cars pose serious risks to children who are naturally curious and often lack fear. Once they crawl in, young children often don’t have the developmental capability to get out. About one-third of heat-related deaths occur when children crawl into unlocked cars while playing and become trapped.

Here are some tips on protecting your children:

Heat:

• Never leave your child in an unattended car, even with the windows down, even for a few minutes.

• Check to make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination, particularly when loading and unloading. Don’t overlook sleeping infants.

• Make sure you check the temperature of the child safety seat surface and safety belt buckles before restraining your children in the car.

• Use a light covering to shade the seat of your parked car. Consider using windshield shades in front and back windows.

   Trunk Entrapment:

• Teach children not to play in or around cars.

• Keep car keys out of reach and sight.

• Always lock car doors and trunks, especially when parked in the driveway or near the home.

• Keep the rear fold-down seats closed to help prevent kids from getting into the trunk from inside the car.

• Be wary of child-resistant locks. Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they unintentionally become entrapped in a motor vehicle.

• Contact your automobile dealership about getting your vehicle retrofitted with a trunk release mechanism.

• If your child gets locked inside a car, get him out and dial 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately.

When the majority of people hear the word anorexia, they automatically assume it’s a girls’ disease.  The reality of anorexia is that it’s a psychological illness that does not discriminate between boys and girls.  According to the National Eating Disorders Association, at least one million males in the United States are battling anorexia or bulimia. Yet due to the shame that often comes with male eating disorders, experts say the statistics are skewed, and many more young men are left unaccounted for.

Anorexia is the 3^rd most common chronic illness among adolescents, and “It appears that the prevalence of the disorder is increasing among boys,” said Dr. James Hudson, a Harvard psychiatry professor who has been treating and researching eating disorders for more than 26 years. “It may be that boys are simply more comfortable coming forward now than in the past.”

In 2007, Hudson was the lead author of a large study on eating disorders in the United States, one of the first of its kind. The study found that 25% of the 8 to 10 million people suffering from anorexia or bulimia are male, contradicting prior estimates that only 10 percent of people with eating disorders were male.

The assumption that anorexia can only affect girls and women not only increases the stigma for young men fighting the disease, but it also means that they are often too ashamed to seek help. That leads many to become even sicker than their female counterparts.

“Boys don’t get identified,” said Dr. James Lock, a psychiatrist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, California.  “They come later to treatment,” Lock said. “They have therefore had longer time to lose weight so they’re physically sicker.  Sometimes that’s allowed the psychological processes to be more reinforced in their own thinking and the behaviors.”

On top of those hurdles, most of the resources that exist to help victims of anorexia are largely geared toward females, a fact that amplifies the feelings of isolation among male anorexics.

According to Lock, it takes a certain kind of personality to develop the illness.  “It’s very unusual for someone to come into my office for an assessment of anorexia if they do not have straight A’s,” said Lock.  “This is true for boys and this is true for girls.  These kids have the desire for perfectionism and for control. And in sports, these are great athletes, usually, who drive themselves to the next level.”

While boys who participate in sports such as wrestling and girls in sports such as gymnastics may be more likely to want to lose weight, Lock warned that the desire to enhance athletic performance should not be confused with anorexia. Athletic pressure may increase the motivation to lose weight, he said, but not every elite athlete has an eating disorder.

As baffling as the causes of anorexia may be, so are the factors behind the increase in the disease among boys and young men.  Dr. Jennifer Hagman has been running the eating disorder program at Children’s Hospital Colorado since 1993, where until five years ago, it was uncommon for her to see boy patients. “Now we almost always have one to three boys in the program,” she said. According to Hagman, these boys are victims of society’s obsession with appearance and the increased focus on childhood obesity.

“The emphasis in our culture about eating healthier is no doubt the biggest factor,” she said. “In school they’re telling them to limit the fat in their diet. I hear from many kids in the program that it was after a health class that they started to limit their diets.”

While it is certainly very important to educate children to live healthy lives, said Hagman, it is also important to deliver that message in a balanced way, without triggering unhealthy habits.Just like cancer or any other disease, early detection is the key in getting help; however, only 10% of people with an eating disorder actually get help.

This information is from a report on NBC.  If you think that you or a loved one may be suffering from an eating disorder, you can call the National Eating Disorders live helpline at 800-931-2237 (Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST).

Providing our children with little bursts of happiness is easy – just hand over a chocolate bar or the latest must-have toy. But eventually, that happiness bubble pops. The chocolate is eaten, the toy becomes not so cool, and boredom follows. And then we realize thattrue happiness – the ability to maintain a love of life, to weather challenges with grace and courage, to feel good about one’s self – can seem very elusive.

How can we help our children achieve genuine happiness? According to BabyCenter.com, the answer lies in helping them build up their inner resources. Here are five ways to do just that.

Make time for free play.  Free play – unstructured time for a child to use his imagination without a coach or teacher breathing down his neck – is integral to a child’s development. But what you might not know is that it also helps children lay a foundation for future happiness.

Through free play, your child can discover what brings him joy – whether it’s building a city of blocks, creating a family of stuffed animals, or designing a mural. In other words, he can connect with his true self. This ability to know what he likes (rather than what heshould like) will serve him well when it’s time to choose hobbies – or even a career.

Remember the mind-body connection.  It turns out your mother was right when she said you needed your sleep, exercise, and healthful food. In fact, these are directly tied to mood. So make sure your child’s bedtime is early enough so that she can get adequate rest,give her plenty of opportunity for exercise (outside play rather than a regimen of child aerobics classes), and go easy on the junk food and sugar.

Don’t steal their problems.  Your child struggles to reach the light switch, jumping up and down repeatedly. You may feel the impulse to just reach over and turn the light on for him. Instead, let him try to work it out.

The same goes for social problems. This doesn’t mean you can’t offer support and suggestions, but as hard as it is, resist the urge to solve all of your child’s problems. Rather, look at challenges as gifts that can help him learn new skills. As child psychologist Carrie Masia-Warner puts it, “Children need to learn to tolerate some distress. Let them figure things out on their own, because it allows them to learn how to cope.”

Check in.  Wondering if your child is okay? Ask! This doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as saying, “You seem a little down. Is there something you’d like to talk about?” And then listen, listen, listen! But – and this is important – if your child brushes you off, give her some space, and then gently try again another time.

Allow feelings.  Not only do we want our kids to be happy, we want them to act happy. It can be embarrassing when your child sobs on the playground while everyone else is having fun. But if you tell him to put on a happy face, he may feel invalidated.

Instead, teach him to identify his feelings and express them with words (for example, “I’m angry because I didn’t get a turn on the swings”). And let him know that it’s okay to be unhappy and even angry sometimes. All emotions, even negative ones, are normal.  It is how we deal with them that is important.  And, ironically, being able to deal with hard feelings will lead to more genuine happiness down the road.

Most of us are aware of the recent events of a Penn State assistant football coach and a Syracuse University assistant basketball coach being charged with multiple counts of alleged sexual abuse of children and that a number of school administrators have also been charged with failing to properly report the allegations. 

While the alleged perpetrators will be the focus of much of the discussions about these issues, we should also be asking ourselves “What could have been done to prevent these children from being harmed”?

The questions being asked by local authorities are a) who had earlier suspicions and who received reports about the assistant coaches’ behaviors, b) did those in a position of authority meet both the letter and the spirit of the law when the reports came to their attention, and c) what changes in policy must be made?

It is important to remember that about 90% of sexual abuse cases involve a person close to and known to a child (40 to 60% of cases actually happen in the home.); stranger danger is real, but it is a much smaller percentage of sexual abuse cases.  Sexual abuse is much more prevalent than we realize; it is an under reported and silent crime.  Research shows that about one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.  Experts say many people who witness sexual abuse often remain silent, too horrified to report what they have seen.  People worry that if they say something they could ruin somebody’s life, not really thinking about the horrendous effects this event will have on the child involved and other children the perpetrator may abuse in the future.     

These incidents at the two universities point to the facts that: 

* It is the not the responsibility of the children to keep themselves safe; it is adults’ responsibility.

* Abuse can happen to any child, regardless of wealth or social status.

* We all have a role to play in the development of our children and that includes becoming involved in situations where children’s well-being is or can be jeopardized.

Situations such as these in a child’s life could result in life-long adversities including a greater potential for mental health and health issues, substance abuse, delinquency, and criminal behavior that cost our nation $104 billion to remediate when abuse and neglect are not prevented. 

Children need our help to stay safe.  You can take an active role in children’s lives by:

* Being involved in both the activities children are involved in and the people

* Talking to children regularly about what they’re doing can help you stay alert for possible problems.

* Knowing about sexual predators and sexual behavior problems and how they work.

* Teaching children important skills to help them protect themselves. Make sure they know they can talk to you about anything that’s bothering them or if they feel mixed-up or confused.

* Being alert for signs of sexual abuse. If you suspect or are told abuse, report it right away.

The things parents and others should look for as possible symptoms of sexual abuse are: 

* Stained or torn underwear.

* Trouble walking, sitting or going to the bathroom.

* Difficulty swallowing or eating.

* Depression, anxiety, anger or mood swings.

* Fears of certain places, people or activities.

* Nightmares or sudden fear of the dark.

These children may act out sexually or show knowledge of sex that’s not appropriate for their age; show self-destructive behaviors, such as pulling their hair or cutting their skin; and act younger that their age, such as wetting the bed or sucking their thumb.

Parents usually know when something is wrong and should trust their instincts.

As parents we can:

* Believe the child – children usually don’t make up stories of sexual abuse.

* Be careful with questions – try to find out as much as you can about what happened, but avoid leading questions.

* Report it!

All children should know that they can come to you or another adult if they feel mixed-up or confused, or if someone is not listening when they set limits about play

Teach children:

* The right names of their body parts.  Research tells us that children who know the correct name for body parts are less likely to be abused.

* When they should talk to you – for example, when any behavior confuses them and when touching or other situations make them feel uncomfortable, mixed-up or confused.

* When not to keep secrets – help children understand the difference between secrets and surprises.

*  That no one has the right to touch them if they don’t want to be touched. 

Much of the above information is from Prevent Child Abuse America.

Christmas is fast approaching, and many parents are concerned about their family’s financial situation and the money problems they may be experiencing this holiday season. As if poor economic times, job losses, rising food prices, stock market instability, and skyrocketing health care costs aren’t enough, parents now have the added concern of finding available money to put a few presents under the Christmas tree.  This column is adapted from an article by Thomas Haller and Chick Moorman, parenting experts.  

The giving of gifts during the holiday season is an honored tradition. However, this year many parents are wondering what gifts they will give as they tighten their money belts and attempt to weather the financial storm through the holidays.

Maybe the answer lies in the gifts that are given. Give children what they really want from their parents: presence, not presents. All children spell love T-I-M-E. What we parents can give to our children is our attention, our availability, our closeness, and our time.

Are you being fully present with your children? Can you let go of your worries about money? Can you suspend your agenda to focus on theirs? Can you learn to be there for and with your children?

Consider the following suggestions as a way to give the most important present this holiday season, your presence.

1. Be there regardless of what you are doing. The holiday season requires an added measure of balancing kids’ schedules, visiting family, and cooking as well as keeping up the regular requirements of work, laundry, cleaning, everyday cooking, etc. When feeling pulled in several directions, many parents turn to multitasking. Avoid the urge to multitask and strive to stay focused on the moment at hand. When you sit with your children, whether it’s to play a game or read a book, give them your undivided attention.
   
2. Make a “be” choice. How you choose to “be” affects whatever you choose to “do.” When you are with your children, choose to be interested in what they are interested in. Choose to be happy that you have the time to focus on their needs and wants. Choose to be excited about the time you have with them. Even when misbehavior occurs in your children, choose to be glad that you have the opportunity to help them learn a new behavior or a new way to communicate a desire or express a feeling.
   
3. Focus on listening rather than telling. Children spend a great portion of their day following directions: pick up your clothes, make your bed, sit down, be quiet, go play, chew with your mouth closed, stop picking on your brother, hang up your coat, brush your teeth. To kids, the list of commands seems unending. Remember, children have valuable things to say too. Many times parents get so focused ontelling that they forget to listen. Value your children’s opinions. Allow them opportunities to vent. Embrace their points of view. Invite suggestions. Listen to their voices.
   
4. Connect physically. Touch is a powerful way to communicate “I love you.” Get close and touch your children’s heart with a warm embrace or a gentle squeeze of the shoulder. Snuggle under a blanket and read together. Go for a walk and hold hands. Wrestle on the living room floor. Dispense hugs, smiles, winks and an occasional high five.
   
5. Connect emotionally. Feelings are always more important than things. Create an environment where it is safe to be emotional. Encourage the expression of feelings. Allow your feelings to extend to your children as you share traditions, reflect on holidays past, and gather as a family. Demonstrate empathy, compassion and understanding.
   
6. Unplug from the electronic world. The television, computer, video games, and other electronic gadgets have the potential to create a disconnect from personal interaction. While riding in the car, tell your children a story about the day they were born or relate a favorite holiday memory. Play a board game together. Stand up, walk away from the TV, and go shoot baskets, skip rope, go for a walk, read a book, or ride bikes with your child.
   
7. Play by the kids’ rules. Play with your children at their level. Make mud pies, jump in rain puddles, roll down a hill, spray whipped cream on the kitchen table and join in the creation of artistic designs, and then eat them! Cover the driveway in sidewalk chalk. Let your children take the lead and change the rules of a game if they want. Know that play, no matter how childish or silly it may appear, is an investment in connecting with your children. Play regularly with your kids, and remember that the reason for play is to play, not to win.

Make a commitment this holiday season to give the best gift you can give by being present in your child’s life. Be active and interactive on a daily basis with your children. Be the parent God called you to be. Give your presence, not presents!

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. Although the start and end dates can vary slightly depending on the organization and source, Red Ribbon Week generally takes place the last full week in October, with the weekends before and following the last full week included as appropriate celebration dates. This year Red Ribbon Week will be celebrated October 22-30, 2011.

Red Ribbon Week serves as a vehicle for communities and individuals to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of our children through a commitment to drug prevention and education and a personal commitment to live drug free lives with the ultimate goal being the creation of drug free America.
And, perhaps more importantly, Red Ribbon Week commemorates the ultimate sacrifice made by DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who died at the hands of drug traffickers in Mexico while fighting the battle against illegal drugs to keep our country and children safe.

Camarena grew up in a house with a dirt floor.  He had hopes and dreams of making a difference. He worked his way through college, served in the Marines, and became a police officer. When he decided to join the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out it. “I can’t not do this,” he told her. “I’m only one person, but I want to make a difference.”

The DEA sent Camarena to work undercover in Guadalajara, Mexico investigating a major drug cartel believed to include officers in the Mexican army, police and government.  He was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline.

 On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him in a car and kidnapped him. One month later, Camarena’s body was found in a shallow grave. He had been brutally tortured to death.

Within weeks of his death in March of 1985, Camarena’s Congressman, Duncan Hunter, and high school friend Henry Lozano, launched Camarena Clubs in Imperial Valley, California, Camarena’s home. Hundreds of club members pledged to lead drug-free lives to honor the sacrifices made by Camarena and others on behalf of all Americans.  These pledges were delivered to First Lady Nancy Reagan at a national conference of parents combating youth drug use. Several state parent organizations then called on community groups to wear red ribbons during the last week of October as a symbol of their drug-free commitment.

 The first Red Ribbon Week celebrations were held in La Mirada and Norwalk, California.  In 1988, the National Family Partnership (NFP) coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons.

Today, Red Ribbon Week is nationally recognized and celebrated, helping to preserve Special Agent Camarena’s memory and further the cause for which he gave his life. The Red Ribbon Campaign also became a symbol of support for the DEA’s efforts to reduce demand for drugs through prevention and education programs. By wearing a red ribbon during Red Ribbon Week, Americans demonstrate their ardent opposition to drugs. They pay homage not only to Special Agent Camarena, but to all men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in support of our nation’s struggle against drug trafficking and abuse.

 Here are just a few ways to celebrate Red Ribbon Week.  I’m sure you can think of many more.

·         Wear a red ribbon yourself, and encourage your relatives, your friends, your neighbors, your boss, and your coworkers to do the same.

·         Place red ribbons and bows all over the community – office buildings, posts, trees, billboards, mailboxes, bicycles, dogs, buses, car antennas, front doors, fire trucks, police cars,  hospitals,  schools, churches, offices, businesses, etc.

·         Hold decoration contests.

·         Involve Civic Clubs, volunteer organizations such as the Senior Citizens, youth organizations such as YMCA, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Sunday School classes.

·         Invite a speaker to talk to your school, organization, or business about current drug trends, and the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs on lives, families, brains, bodies, and futures.

·         At school, involve English, Social Studies, Science, Health, Speech, Journalism, and Audio-Visual Communications classes in research and reports regarding the current use and harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Mathematics, and Economics classes could examine the effect on our economy regarding the costs of drug use, law enforcement, and public health care.

·         Take 5 minutes of yours and your child’s time to express clearly your stand on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.

·         Make family pledge cards and everybody in the family sign one.

·         Write thank you letters to businesses in your community for celebrating Red Ribbon Week.

Let’s work to make this a drug free community.

Now that school is back in session, it’s time for parents to remember how important you are to your children’s success and happiness in school. Whatever your child’s experience last year —and whatever your past involvement in your child’s education last year — the new school year offers the possibility of a fresh start, for parents and children. Here are five basic stepsfor making sure that your child’s school experience is the best it can be. This information is from the Family Information Services website.

Be sure your child is physically ready for learning each day. This means having enough sleep on school nights and beginning the morning with a healthy breakfast. It also means living in a home environment in which family members treat each other with kindness and respect. High conflict at home creates stress for all members and can seriously undermine a child’s readiness to learn.

 Show genuine interest in your child’s school experience, each and every day. Ask your child to tell you about the school day. What topics did they discuss? What stories did they read? What fun things did they do at recess? Ask to see school work, encourage your child to read aloud for you, or have your child teach you something new from science or math class. When you show that school is interesting to you, it will be more interesting to your child.

 Work with your child to establish a daily homework routine. Make sure that your child has a quiet, comfortable place to work. Figure out with your child the schedule that works best, knowing that some kids do best if they do their homework right away after school, while others benefit from some play time before they focus on their assignments. It often helps to set aside family reading time when everyone does quiet reading or homework without TV, radio, or ipods to distract them. This can be followed by a family snack and a game or a favorite TV show.

 Communicate regularly with the teacher. Don’t wait until there’s a problem, but let the teacher know that you are invested in your child’s learning. Exchange notes or make an occasional phone call to find out how your child is doing and what the teacher needs from you to support and encourage your child’s school success. When you hear good reports from the teacher, tell your child how proud you are. And by all means, never let your child hear you criticize a teacher.

 Visit the school. Attend conferences, open house, performances, and other special events. If possible, volunteer to chaperone a field trip, read to children in your child’s classroom, eat lunch, or offer to teach a class about your career or hobby. Regardless of your child’s age, showing up at school tells them how much you value their education. And it sends a strong message to your children’s teachers that you are their partner in providing the education that your children deserve.