Talk, Monitor, Secure
With students remote learning this fall, parents have to “pinch hit” for traditional school roles, including teachers, advisers and school resource officers. In addition to keeping students on task with homework, parents need to be vigilant when it comes to their child’s health and well being.
Recognize it’s a stressful time for everyone and let your child know you’re always available to talk whenever they are. Here are some additional resources to help you navigate these new roles and keep your children safe:
- Parents should watch for signs of above normal stress for their child, increased time spent alone, anxiety or depression — all of which could lead to unhealthy coping behaviors like vaping nicotine or marijuana. Two CTAD resource sheets: Clearing the Vapor and A Parent’s Guide to Vaping and Vape Pens clue parents in to what these devices are, what the appeal is to teens, and signs your teen may be vaping.
- It’s important to continue to secure and monitor any supplies of alcohol, marijuana (which can be vaped), and other prescription drugs with these useful tips.
- While most teens make healthy choices, it’s often helpful for parents to know what warning signs to watch for–especially if your child’s behavior starts to concern you. Link Together Coalition has an online, interactive “mock” teenage bedroom that highlights clues and other red flags that may indicate a bigger problem. It’s important to note that this mock bedroom shows many different items that are unlikely to all be found in one child’s room!
