The Facets of Parental

Engagement

Because children of hands-on parents are far less likely to smoke, drink, or use

drugs

why is parental engagement important?

get involved in your child’s

life & activities

Teens who grow up in caring and supportive

family environments are also less likely to

smoke, drink, or use drugs

Be There

and keep them wide open

Open the Lines of Communication

Teens who learn about the risks

of drugs from their parents are less likely to use them

Most teens credit conversations

with Mom and Dad as their reason for deciding not to do

drugs

actions are more persuasive than

words

Your kids will be more affected by what they see you do than what

they hear you say

Set a Good Example

& enforce them with consequences if your childfails to follow them

Set Rules

The rules you establish become your children’s

internal compass for their own behavior

your children’s whereabouts

Half of teens who stay out past 10:00pm on a

school night report that drug and alcohol use was going on among

their friends

Monitor

such as eating dinner together

MaintainFamily Rituals

Having dinner together allows you to be with

your children, learn about what’s happening

in their day-to-day life with them and their

friends, and get to know them better

Teens who consider religion to be an important part

of their lives are far less likely to smoke,

drink, or use drugs

Incorporate Religious & Spiritual

Practices into family life

and keep him engagedGet Dad Engaged

Parental engagement is a Mom-and-Pop operation

The larger families of your child’s school, church, and

community can serve as your support groups and

your child’s safety nets

Engagethe larger

community

Get to Know & Better UnderstandYour kid’s friends and their parents

Knowing your child’s friends and their parents will help you get to know

and better understand your child

Be There

Open the Lines of Communication

Set a Good Example

Set Rules

Monitor Your Children’s Whereabouts

MaintainFamily Rituals

Incorporate Religious & Spiritual Practices

Get Dad Engaged

Engage the Larger Community

Get to Know Your Kid’s Friends

Parental engagement is the most effective instrument in the substance-abuse-prevention toolbox

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