As the Mother of a 13-year old, this topic definitely resonates with me and I was eager to attend and devour any information or tips they had to give about how to converse with your teen on this subject.
The Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® program has two major parts: (1) A website for parents that includes information and tips based on the best available research, along with access to a free parent handbook and (2) Free parent workshops to equip parents with strategies for having these potentially life-saving conversations.
Nationwide Insurance agent Tamika Raymond spoke on behalf of MADD as the national sponsor of Power of Parents and PowerTalk 21. She talked about her own experience with drinking and driving as a professional basketball player and then as a college basketball coach. And about the trauma her office has to deal with when they receive calls from customers affected by underage drinking-related car collisions. Most powerful was the testimony of Gwen Edwards, who lost her 22-year-old son in an underage drinking related car crash. Edwards shared her own story about the influence of parents and consequences of underage drinking. Her story shed light on the tragic effects of underage drinking and why the conversation with teens about alcohol can’t wait.
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| Bloggers and MADD representatives (photo: MADD.org) |
I'm not a big believer in preaching abstinence, because I think it's unrealistic. I am a HUGE proponent of open and honest dialog on topics such a underage drinking and believe that knowledge is power. However you decide to parent your children on the topic, I hope that you will use MADD as a resource. For more information, visit www.MADD.org.
