Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
The CASA report also found that compared to teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infrequent family dinners are more than twice as likely to be able to get marijuana in an hour and one and a half times likelier to be able to get prescription drugs to get high within an hour.
“The magic of the family dinner comes not from the food on the plate but from who’s at the table and what’s happening there. The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless,” said Elizabeth Planet, CASA’s Vice President and Director of Special Projects.
It is time for our community to come together to help parents raise healthy kids!!
Click on the following link to find a handbook which will provide some great information on this subject !!!
Eanes CARES goals:
To change the community "norm" so that there is "positive peer pressure" among parents and children to make good decisions regarding drug and alcohol use
To foster the formation of relationships in the community that have a positive impact on our youth
To someday have a community center where youth can go to "hang out" in a safe place with appropriate activities, educational opportunities, etc.
The Eanes CARES website:
This website is and always will be a "work in progress." Our goal is to sift through all the information and resources available and pick those that we feel will most impact our community. You can click on topics on the left to access a wide variety of these resources.
