INTERNET SAFETY

Brian Runk of Headquarters Counseling Center in Lawrence gave a very informative seminar Thursday Feb. 19th. Teens are suseptable to harassment and bullying online. There is also a trend of "sextexting" among teens. We parents need to be aware of these trends, the legalities involved, and signs it may possibly be happening to their child. Most cyberbullying goes unreported. It becomes a heavy burden to bear. Take a look at Brian's link below to get the facts to keep our kids safe. http://www.hqcc.lawrence.ks.us/Services/Youth_and_Parents/parents/safety/index.html

INTERNET SAFETY

If you can't make the INTERNET SAFETY PARENTING SEMINAR FEB. 19th, here are a couple of web sites with good advice on safe web surfing for teens.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html
http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/internet_safety.html

COOL PARENTS DON"T SERVE MINORS

Here is a story from CNN about social hosting. It could happen in any community in any state. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/12/coolparents.drinking/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

The link below will give you steps to take if the party is at your house, if your teen goes to a party and when you are out of town.

http://www.kansasfamily.com/documents/SocHostParentTips.pdf

PARENTING SEMINAR Thursday Feb. 19th

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Here's another tool to help Lawrence parents.

INTERNET SAFETY SEMINAR

Thursday, February 19, 2009 7 pm
Lawrence Memorial Hospital Room A
Presented By: Brian Runk, Headquarters Counseling Center

http://www.dccca.org/documents/ParentingSeminars2009.pdf

REALITY GAP, Alcohol, Drugs, and Sex-What Parents Don't Know and Teens Aren't Telling

Book Review by Nancy Renfro
Reality Gap is a bible for parenting through the teenage years. It provides practical strategies that encourage safe decision-making among young people, along with their absorbing true-life stories, making it a must read for all of us who care about teens. Wallace, chairman and CEO of SADD, with his many years of up close and personal experience, brings us into the teen world and shows us how to manuver through it as effective parents. Startling, compelling, hopeful. You won't want to put it down. Get a copy and pass it around!

TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING

The rate of prescription drug abuse among adolescents has increased dramatically over the past decade. Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused illicit drug among adolescents—surpassed only by marijuana (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2008).

WHERE ARE TEENS GETTING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?
Teens say they are readily available -- in their own homes, from friends or relatives, and online pharmacies. Read these links and find out what you can do. http://www.dccca.org/documents/perscriptiondrugsflyer2-2009.pdf
http://www.theantidrug.com/DRUG_INFO/prescription_what_can_you_do.asp
http://www.dccca.org/documents/prevention_brief_rxdrugs2-2009.pdf