As a parent of a high schooler, you’ve probably had a conversation about illicit drug use with your kid. The teenage years are the time during which substance abuse typically begins, and it’s important to talk to your child early on before they encounter a situation where are getting the wrong message on drugs. In 2008, approximately 1.64 million teens between the ages of 12 and 18 tried drugs for the first time, so it’s important that they get facts before it’s too late.

But when you talk to them about stuff like marijuana, cocaine and psychedelics, you shouldn’t forget about the dangerous drugs you might be keeping in your medicine cabinet at home. Marijuana is still the top choice among experimenting teens, but prescription drugs are in a steadily growing second place. And in many situations, these pills are often obtained for free from their own homes. Nearly 7 million Americans are abusing these drugs — more than the total who are using cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, inhalants and hallucinogenics combined.

Some kids think prescription drugs are safer or less addictive than street drugs, because they come from a doctor and maybe they see a family member take them. But prescription drugs are only meant to be taken by those to whom they are prescribed and can be very dangerous if abused. An overdose is possible, but they can also be dangerous if used in bad combinations or if they cause a dangerous reaction.

Taking these drugs without a prescription is always against the law, and when taken recreationally, they can lead to death. Even certain over-the-counter drugs can be harmful if taken inappropriately.

For parents raising young children, you will face plenty of challenges as you guide your kids through growing up. One long-standing concern relates to television, particularly, what sorts of programming and how much television is appropriate for your kids to watch. By the time your child is 9 years old, they could be spending as much as 20 percent of their waking hours watching television.

But what are they watching? There’s no doubt that there’s a wide range of programming available and much of it may be very inappropriate for young eyes, but television can also serve as an effective teaching tool for kids as well with the right programming. Ultimately, it’s up to you the parent to make the decisions on what you find acceptable for your children to be exposed to on television, but just saying “yes” or “no”, or even simply turning it on or off will not be enough in shaping healthy habits. Here are a few helpful tips from PBS to help you establish some healthy TV habits in your kids from an early age.

• Be an active television viewer. Try to encourage your child’s curiosity with programming that sparks a conversation, such as educational programs that show how things work and what they look like. Get your child in the habit of talking about what they see and hear on television, rather than simply watching passively.
• Socialization comes first. Talking, playing games and engaging in social activities are some of the most important aspects of a child’s development. Keep the television in a communal area in your home, rather than in a child’s bedroom.
• Have a specific reason for turning on the TV. Avoid keeping the set on as background noise. Turn it on only when you want to watch a show and turn it off after the program ends. Parents can set a positive example for their kids by watching TV in this way as well.
• Know what to do when your child has a strong reaction to something on TV. If your child is frightened, acts aggressively, or demanding of some advertised toy, talk to your child about their behavior. Try blocking access to programming that is having adverse effects or that may be depicting characters acting in an undesirable fashion.

Check out PBS’s Children and Media pages for more tips on teaching your child to be an active television viewer.

When your kids go off to college, there are a whole host of things to consider so you can ensure they are prepared for the coming school year. You’ll want to make sure to take care of linens and bath supplies, new clothes, room accessories, textbooks, and so much more. But regardless of whether we are talking freshmen leaving home for the first time to experience dorm life, or returning upperclassmen more accustomed to off-campus apartment living, consideration for personal safety should always be of prime importance. It’s important to discuss with them some of the many challenges they’ll be facing outside of academic life.

According to new data from the FBI, violent crimes, including sexual assault, are down across the nation. But while these numbers reflect a positive trend, the fact remains that you could still be at risk. The Rape Abuse & Incest National Network estimates that one out of every six American women has been the victim of attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. College-aged women are especially at risk, and are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted as anyone else in the population. Of further concern, underreporting of sexual assault on college campuses remains a serious issue.

These rates of attack and underreporting have long been of concern, and the U.S. Department of Justice has just recently published a report describing the problem of acquaintance rape of college students, detailing some alarming findings. According to this report, fewer than 5 percent of college women who are victims of rape or attempted rape report it to police. Additionally, earlier this month, the U.S. Senate held a Subcommittee hearing entitled “Rape in the United States: The Chronic Failure to Report and Investigate Rape Cases,” which gives us a sense of how serious and far reaching this issue really is.

The AMW Safety Center has a lot of great information to help your college-aged kids better understand these threats of sexual assault. Whether they or someone they know has been affected by sexual assault, it’s important to understand what kind of threats are classified as sexual assault, and to report the crime when it does in fact occur. Check out some of these expert resources, which we’ve prepared, after the jump. Continue reading The Hidden Threat On College Campuses »

For most parents of school-aged kids around the country, back-to-school season is well under way. We’ve talked about talking to your kids making sure they are taking precautions in getting to school safely, but once they arrive, there are plenty of things to keep in mind as well.

While a school can be one of the safest places for for our kids, there are still things such as bullying, thefts, or even playground dangers that they should keep in mind. And in most cases, prevention and preparation can be the greatest protection against a dangerous situation — at school or otherwise. Your kids the deserve to feel safe at school, and the National Crime Prevention Council has some tips to guide you in helping to make going to school a safe experience.

• Make sure to talk to your kids about their day. They may not be immediately open about any problems at school, but look for any warning signs like torn clothing, a sudden drop in grades or loss of friends.
• Ask your kids if they have seen anyone bullied at school, if they’ve been bullied themselves or if anything else is going on that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Talk to your kids about fighting and about other ways to work out problems they may be having in school.
• Keep up with what your kids are doing online and what sites they frequent. Bullying can happen online as well, so talk to your kids and let them know they can come to you if they encounter any sites or anyone online who is making them feel uncomfortable.
• Talk to your kids’ school to understand what their emergency plans are. How do they respond to emergencies or to violence in schools?

Your kids have bigger things to worry about during the school year, like making friends and growing up. They deserve to feel that their school is a safe and comfortable environment as much as possible. Check out the NCPC site for more tips on keeping your safe kids at school.