SAFE HOMES

A NETWORK OF PARENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A SAFE HOME, SAFE FROM ALCOHOL, SAFE FROM DRUGS, AND A SAFE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

---

---

Congratulations to Hillcrest High School for winning the 2013 “Above The Influence" Youth Video Contest! See the winning video on the right! Thank you also to the other schools that participated! Your hard work and dedication are very much appreciated and we hope you will try again next year!

---

Is Your Teen Using a Friend’s ADHD Medication as a Study Aide?

According to the PDF, while parents don’t believe their teens are using a friend’s ADHD prescription drugs to get better grades, some teens are doing exactly that. If not prescribed for you, ADHD medications can cause exhaustion, irregular heart beat, confusion, psychosis, addiction, and withdrawal. Follow the discussion on GFP's Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.

---

Talk to Your Kids Early About Alcohol!

According to the PDFA, parents should start talking to kids age 9 and older about the dangers of drinking. As kids get older, they start seeing alcohol in a positive light. This may be related to the fact that friends become more important than parents around this time. So, parents get a head start! Talk to your kids today! Follow the discussion on GFP's Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.

---

Alcohol Awareness Month and Prom Season May Be Over But It's Not Too Late to Talk to Your Kids About Underage Drinking! More!

---

SAVE THE DATE!
The Marriott Red Ribbon Party 2013!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Join us for fun for the entire family!
Stay tuned to our website for more details!

---

Parents should spend time with their kids every day - not just on Family Day in September! In recognition of this, CASA is requesting input from parents across the country. To learn more, visit GFP on Facebook.

---

Underage Drinking – a Youth Perspective...

It’s no secret that society doesn’t have the best view on Generation Y – those born sometime between the 1980s and the early 2000s. With teens seemingly on a self-destructive path of drugs, sex, alcohol, and uninhibited behavior, there’s genuine cause to worry about the future of our generation.

More

One of the major problems seen in the teenage community today - and one that is related to many of the other problems - is underage drinking. Constantly influenced by shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Buckwild” that attempt to glorify a life free of rules and responsibility; inspired by “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) and “living for the nights you can’t remember with people you’ll never forget”; and having been raised with a “Project X” mentality, teens today seem to think that there is no fault in drinking and genuinely believe that they have to drink in order to have fun.

In my personal view, underage drinking is just dumb! As an 18 year old and a senior in high school, I just can’t seem to understand why any of my peers want to drink. I mean, not only is it illegal (and comes with severe consequences if caught) but it also effects cognitive processes and brain development. Now, I don’t know about everyone else, but I personally want to do something with my life, and the thought of impairing my brain from completely developing or getting an arrest or other charge that’s permanently on my record completely freaks me out.

Nonetheless, at times it seems as if every teen drinks on a regular basis and lives for the weekend so they can get so drunk they barely remember what happened the next morning. Not just that, but more and more teens today are getting fake IDs and attempting to go to clubs and restaurants to buy and consume alcohol in public. WHAT?! Sometimes, I just really wish I could smack some kind of sense into the teens that are doing ridiculous stuff like this!

When I ask some of my classmates why they drink, the most common responses I get are “Why DON’T you drink?”; “Because it’s fun”; “I like it”; “I don’t know, I just do”; or, my personal favorite, “Everyone does it”. It completely shocks me, but for some unexplainable reason, teens today seem to think that the only way to have fun is to get drunk; maybe it’s because every time they see someone having fun on a show or in a movie, it’s because they got so drunk they couldn’t remember what happened – think, “The Hangover” (although yes, I know, they took Rohypnol).

Well, call me crazy, but I’d rather actually REMEMBER having a good time with my friends, not acting like an idiot and having everyone make fun of me, while I’m thinking I had a good time because the only thing I remember is that I “released my inhibitions” (felt the rain on my skin) and people were laughing.

For more of my rant on underage drinking and what I think parents should be doing to address this problem, check out my video in this section of the Greenville Family Partnership website. Until next time, stay classy Greenville!

Written by: Taurice Bussey, GFP Intern

---

Support Greenville Family Partnership through GoodSearch Year-round!

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50% of its revenue to nonprofits and other organizatons designated by its users. Throughout the year, you can earn donations for Greenville Family Partnership (GFP) by using GoodSearch in several ways… More

---

If you would like to help GFP continue its mission of keeping kids off drugs, please consider making a donation. You may donate through Facebook, by phone at (800) 732-4099, or via mail to Greenville Family Partnership, PO Box 10203, Greenville, SC 29603. THANK YOU!

SAFE HOMES MEMBERSHIP

Join a group of parents dedicated to providing an environment where our youth can socialize and understand that we do not accept the underage use of alcohol and drugs in our homes and on our property.

More

Join a network of parents who agree to minimize the cultural acceptance of alcohol and drugs by our youth. The task is simple. Sign a pledge to follow the current laws regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and agree to talk to one another. Teens today face a difficult challenge while growing up in a world that connects alcohol with most social events and gatherings.  Many parents are looking for support in setting boundaries for their teens when it comes to socializing and following the law.  Too often, parents think everyone is partying with alcohol and they are alone in their struggle to prevent underage drinking.   This is a tool.  You are not alone. Join a network or create a network...

Parents who are members of the Safe Homes Network will receive an exclusive e-newsletter which will provide up to date research relevant to keeping teens alcohol and drug free.  All parents are encouraged to check out our blog, Safe Voice, and participate in the discussion.  You can even remain anonymous in the discussion, so do not hesitate to ask the tough questions!

Please visit the Frequently Asked Question section and if you still have questions we will be happy provide any information for you to join in or start your own group of parents who want to keep there homes safe and provide a SAFE environment free from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.  Call 467-4099 or email kelley@gfpdrugfree.org.

THE PARENT KIT

If you are a parent who feels at a loss as to what to say when it comes to talking to your teens about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, then you may want to access the "Your Child Didn't Come with an Owner's Manual" Parent Kit.