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According to a new national survey, a significant percentage of dads would rather leave drug education to moms and schools. The survey, conducted by the non-profit Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation, found that 34 percent of fathers felt that drug education should take place in schools, compared to 10 percent of mothers.

Shelly Mowry, director of programs and communication for the Arizona affiliate of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, commented on the findings: "Moms really do take the lead when it comes to talking to kids about drugs. ... Parents need to have a united front in this effort. I think a lot of times dads just kind of think, 'She's going to take care of it.' Sometimes they're afraid of the delicate subjects like sex and drugs."

The study, which included responses from 1,004 parents of children in fourth grade through high school, identified one reason that dads may prefer to let mom or the school talk to kids about drugs: dads participating in the study placed a higher value on being friends with their children than did mothers (59 percent of dads versus 51 percent of mothers). In addition, 18 percent of fathers reported difficulty enforcing rules about substance use, compared with only 10 percent of mothers.

Ms. Mowry's advice to parents: "Be the parent, not the pal. ... Especially in those preteen years - 11, 12, 13 - kids need clear and consistent boundaries."

(Source: www.azcentral.com)

Labels: drugs, alcohol, communication, dads, talking, fathers

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The most recent publication of the journal Addiction included a study which found a connection between a father spending time in jail and his children being at increased risk for

teen substance abuse

.

This new study examined the association between having an incarcerated biological father and marijuana and other illegal drug use.

Over 51% of young men, and almost 40% of young women, whose biological fathers had a history of incarceration reported using marijuana, compared to 38% and 28%, respectively, of comparable men and women whose fathers were never incarcerated…

Biological father’s incarceration was also found to be associated with elevated use of other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. - Source: Science Blogs

Though the association is clear, the cause-and-effect relationship – if there is one – is not so clear. It’s possible parent incarceration is another symptom of the problem, but not the actual cause. It can, however, help caregivers, teachers and medical professionals be more alert when interacting with these kids.

 

Labels: parents, fathers, jail

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments