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Most Fairfield parents share the same feelings about their kids using alcohol, according to the Fairfield Cares Task Force survey in October. The problem is, according to a different survey, their kids might not feel the same way. For parent Lauren Lanham, who serves on the task force, this highlights the need for her groups work in Fairfield.
Thats where the communication comes in, and the prevention comes in, Lauren said. I think [we need to] get the message out that parents do care.
In October, 1,186 parents answered questions about their feelings toward kids drug and alcohol use. Archie Swindell of Quantitative Services compared those responses with surveys of Fairfields kids and found stark contrasts in what parents and kids think about alcohol and drugs.
For example, the vast majority of parents agreed that regular alcohol use posed a great harm to kids development. The results stayed consistent across age groups 96.6 percent of parents with kids in grades 7 and 8 chose that option, as did 96.5 percent for grades 11-12.
Kids, however, were less wary of regular drug and alcohol use and became less likely to see it as a great risk as they got older. A 2008 survey found that 73.1 percent of seventh- and eighth-graders saw marijuana as a great risk, compared with 89.8 percent of their parents. By junior and senior year, the number of kids who saw a risk dropped dramatically (27.7 percent), while the number of parents dropped less than 10 percent (81.9 percent).
The comparisons revealed a way to change kids perceptions, however talk to them early and talk to them often. Waiting until high school is almost waiting too long, Archie said.
Youth surveys from five Connecticut towns showed that kids were much less likely to drink or use drugs if they felt it posed a great risk to their health or if they knew their parents would disapprove. Nearly 50 percent of kids who did not think their parents would disapprove of drinking admitted to doing so in the past 30 days. About 10 percent of kids who felt there would be great disapproval did the same.
Lanham said these results back up exactly what the task force set out to do. She said she wants to build support systems in which kids know the risks and how their parents would feel about their using drugs and alcohol.
Law enforcement, package stores, clergy, schools, government theres layers of people caring for [Fairfields kids], Lauren said. Is that going to affect them? I hope so.
How often do you talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol? Do you think they listen? Start the conversation in the comments below.
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