| Volume 1, Issue 1 | November 2008 |
Welcome Finishing Growing With Grace and launching my website, www.suzonneunderwood.com, has taken a lot of work, but it has definitely been worth it. This first edition of my newsletter will provide information about the book, as well as articles and news which both teens and their parents can use. As the mother of two beautiful daughters, my books are focused on helping children to grow up with grace and dignity. I encourage teens and their parents to join me in my cause towards making life less risky and a lot safer for children everywhere. I look forward to hearing from each of you and have faith that together we can make a difference. Growing With Grace Growing with Grace is a heart-to-heart talk from a mother to her daughters, sharing a parent’s concerns about underage drinking, risky behaviors, and online social networks. It discusses real life tragedies, while providing real alternatives and solutions to avoiding peer pressure and making wiser decisions. It’s a great gift for a teen for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Graduation, Birthdays, or Religious celebrations. |
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Teenage Drinking Around the World Although we know that the teenage drinking trend in the United States has risen significantly over the years, it is not a problem we face alone. Many other countries are also struggling with ways to curb and stop this alarming trend. Australia is one such country. The Australian government’s desire to reduce the number of teenage drinking illnesses and injuries caused them to invest an impressive $20 million in an ad campaign targeted toward binge drinking among teens. This campaign includes television advertisements which will aggressively be aired starting November 23rd. Australia’s fight to keep teenagers safe resonates with me because I’ve heard of far too many instances of teenage injuries and deaths which could have been prevented if only we’d found a way to reach out to them and effectively communicate our message. Appropriately named “Don’t Turn a Night Out into a Nightmare,” the Australian government’s project addresses the same issues we face here in the States: the side effects of alcohol on our mental and physical health, legal problems caused from underage drinking, and accidents, injuries, and deaths. To find out more about the Australian government’s campaign, please visit http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24688151-5013404,00.html |
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Alcohol Related News and Incidents Here at Home I read an enlightening article which mirrored my sentiments about teenage drinking and other risky behaviors. The Daily Times (dot com) published an article about students at Newton South High School, addressing the urgent need for parental involvement in their children’s lives. Attending the meeting were law enforcement officials, school administrators, parents, counselors, and students. Their message to the 115 people in attendance was strong and clear: Parents have the ultimate responsibility in their children’s health and safety. While schools and law enforcement officials can help to prevent or circumvent teen drinking and substance abuse, no one holds more responsibility or capacity to alter their behavior than their parents. There were several reasons for the urgency of the meeting. First, the weekend of Columbus Day resulted in three automobile accidents. In addition, a recent election resulting in less than one ounce of marijuana being reduced to a misdemeanor charge drew concern among all parties. By lessening the deterrent, there was fear that the area would see a rise in teenagers who smoke or sell marijuana. As parents, school officials, and law enforcement agents, we must work together to convey our message to our youth. While teens are responsible for their actions, the lack of action on the part of adults, especially parents, is a contributing factor in the risky behaviors teenagers engage in. I encourage all parents to work together with their schools, law enforcement agencies and churches to persuade our children to engage in activities which are safer, healthier, and less risky. Failure to do so could harm the lives of the people we love the most—our children. Recommended Reading: Panel, parents talk straight about teen drinking and driving. |
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When a Teen Needs Help It’s never too late to help a teenager who has an alcohol abuse or addiction. Alcoholics Anonymous will help teens with a drinking problem, but what happens when the teen is trying to cope with someone else’s drinking problem? Teens simply don’t have the experience or the support to handle these situations alone. I came across an article in the Benton County Daily Record, (linked below) which reminded me that there are organizations out there who are qualified and experienced to help adolescents and teenagers cope when a loved one has a drinking problem, and which connects them with other teens they can relate to for support and friendship. Schools, churches, counselors and groups like Alateen can help. Alateen can be reached by calling 888-425-2666 or visiting: www.al-anon.alateen.org Recommended Reading: Benton County Daily Record, Alateen helps teen deal with alcohol problems By Tonya McKiever Staff Writer, 11-13-08. http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/67816/ |
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Upcoming Newsletters: The Dangers of Online Social Networks How to Talk to Teenagers about Drinking Visit www.suzonneunderwood.com for updated newsletters, news, and links. Read and participate in my blog at www.suzonneunderwood.wordpress.com to share experiences and suggestions with teens and parents everywhere. I look forward to hearing from you! Suzonne Underwood |
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