“Talk. They Hear You.”®

Council Rock Coalition for Healthy Youth (CRCHY) Encourages Parents to Talk With Their Kids About Alcohol This Summer Using Help of “Talk.  They Hear You.”® Campaign

Did you know more kids try alcohol for the first time during the summer months than any other time of year? Since most schools are out of session during the summer, children tend to have more free time and less adult supervision, which presents more opportunities to engage in underage drinking or other drug use.

Parents can help keep their kids safe and prevent underage drinking and drug use by talking with them about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs. This is why CRCHY recommends parents check out “Talk.  They Hear You.”®, a federal campaign that provides resources to help engage kids in meaningful conversations about underage drinking and substance use.

“Talk. They Hear You.”® specifically targets parents and caregivers because research shows one of the most influential factors during a child’s adolescence is maintaining a strong, open relationship with a parent.[1] Though it may not always seem like it, children really do hear their parents’ concerns, which is why it’s important to discuss the risks of using alcohol and other drugs with them.

The campaign offers a variety of resources to aid parents in having these conversations, including the Five Conversation Goals factsheet, What You Can Do To Prevent Your Child From Drinking fact sheet, and the Keeping Your Kids Safe brochures.

CRCHY Volunteers host seminars for “Talk.  They Hear You.”® each month.  The program is presented the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Northampton Township Municipal Building, 55 Township Road, Richboro, PA, at 7:15pm. The next session will be Thursday, August 20th.  Future dates include September 26 and October 24.

For more information about “Talk.  They Hear You.”® and for more parent resources to help prevent underage drinking and other drug use, visit www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/parent-resources.

[1] National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004). Young children develop in an environment of relationships. Working Paper No. 1. From http://developingchild.harvard.edu/wp-content/ uploads/2004/04/Young-Children-Develop-in-anEnvironment-of-Relationships.pdf (accessed June 19, 2018).