Despite frequent expressions to the contrary, parents can be the single greatest influence in a youth's decision not to use alcohol or drugs. Numerous surveys demonstrate that for many children, parental influence is the strongest determinant in such decisions - greater than that of teachers, media and EVEN PEERS!  For youth who abuse substances, strong and healthy parental involvement is one of the critical elements to them being able to overcome presenting obstacles and achieve positive treatment outcomes.

Parental persuasiveness exhibits itself in many ways and its effectiveness is marked by facts such as amount of time spent with children and the consistency of the messages provided.  Parents can positively influence their children if they reach them early and if they continue to reinforce strong values and positive messages throughout the adolescent years.  Even when problems arise, the role of parents and the positive impact they can have should never be minimized or downplayed.

Little Things Do Count:
Too often parents feel overwhelmed by the number of events and circumstances and/or falsely conclude that they have minimal influence on their child's decision to use drugs or alcohol.  But relatively simple things do have an effect.  For example, eating meals together, partaking in extracurricular activities and taking an ACTIVE interest in their child's academic and social network has repeatedly shown tremendous benefits - for both the child, parent and family as a whole.

Children and youth require and appreciate structure, routine and the lessons parents can provide.  Active and supportive parenting based on sound communication and clear expectations greatly aid children and youth to successfully navigate the multitude of challenging developmental stages they encounter over time.