Key Topics for Parents to Discuss with Their Children before the New School Year
A Back-to-School Checklist by Caron Treatment Centers
WERNERSVILLE, Pa., Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the new high school semester quickly approaches, parents are finishing up last minute items on their children's back-to-school checklists. Aside from helping their children stock up on new books and supplies, it's also important for parents to have conversations with their kids about key topics such as behavioral health issues and peer pressure. Caron Treatment Centers, one the nation's leading providers of behavioral health and addiction treatment services, compiled a checklist to help parents talk to their kids before classes begin in the fall.
1. Talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol
"It may feel like your kids pay more attention to their peers than to you at this age, but you still exert a strong influence," says Tammy Granger, Corporate Director of Student Assistance Programs at Caron.
2. Talk to your kids about peer pressure
Kids use drugs to reduce anxiety and uncomfortable feelings and to appear more grown up, among other reasons. Peer pressure can be powerful. Kids whose parents are present in their lives and foster open communication are less likely to take drugs.
3. Pay attention to signs of behavioral health issues
Students have a lot to cope with in high school including gossip, jealousy, body image issues and competition. Occasionally, problems such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem may arise. Ask your child how he or she is doing. Look for poor grades, a change in friends, trouble sleeping, etc.
4. Talk to your kids about sex
Kids may feel pressured to engage in sex just as they feel pressured to try drugs. Over 25% of 15- to 17- year-olds have worried about STDs or pregnancy because of unprotected sex while drinking or using drugs, according to the Partnership at Drugfree.org.
While the start of new school year means ensuring that your children have all the necessary things for class, it's also a good time to talk to them about these essential topics so they're able to make more informed choices. High school is a significant time for growth and it's crucial that parents continue to establish healthy communication with their children.
View the full infographic here.
About Caron Treatment Centers
With nearly 60 years in the field, Caron Treatment Centers operates lifesaving addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment. Caron is headquartered in Wernersville, Pennsylvania with Ocean Drive and Caron Renaissance located in Palm Beach County, Florida and Caron Texas located in Dallas, Texas. Caron's Recovery Center in New York City as well as its regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC offer community and recovery support. Caron has the most extensive continuum of care including adolescents, young adults, adults and seniors. Caron's treatment is customized to meet the needs of individuals and families – with highly trained teams prepared to address co-occurring disorders. Caron offers an innovative approach to ongoing recovery care support for its former patients and their families during the first year of transition following discharge. The online recovery support connects patients and families with peer groups and other resources. For more information on Caron please visit Caron at www.caron.org or follow us on Twitter, @CaronTreatment.
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SOURCE Caron Treatment Centers
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