CHILDREN WHO HAVE FREQUENT FAMILY DINNERS LESS LIKELY TO USE MARIJUANA, TOBACCO, AND DRINK ALCOHOL
SEPTEMBER 28 MARKS 9TH ANNUAL FAMILY DAY
Chamberlain School District 7-1 to Celebrate Event
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse launches new tools to help celebrate
From 2003 to 2008 research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University has consistently found that children who have frequent family dinners are less likely to use marijuana, tobacco and drink alcohol.
CASA research reveals that compared to children who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), children who have infrequent family dinners (less than three per week) are two and a half times likelier to have used marijuana and tobacco, and one and a half times likelier to have drunk alcohol.
Teens Who Have Used Substances
By Frequency of Family Dinners
(Average over 6 years: 2003-2008)
0-2 Dinners/Week
Ever Used Alcohol--48%
Ever Used Tobacco--29%
Ever Used Marijuana--27%
Ever Used Alcohol--48%
Ever Used Tobacco--29%
Ever Used Marijuana--27%
5-7 Dinners/Week
Ever Used Alcohol--30%
Ever Used Tobacco--13%
Ever Used Marijuanna--11%
Monday, September 28th will mark the 9th annual Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM celebration. Family Day is a national movement to inform parents that the parental engagement fostered during frequent family dinners is an effective tool to help keep America’s children substance free and reminds parents that “Dinner Makes A Difference!”
“If you asked me based on 16 years of intensive examination of substance abuse and addiction in our nation what’s the most effective thing we can do to curb this scourge and protect our children, I would say parental engagement. And there is no more effective example of this than frequent family dinners,” said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. “Years of surveying teens have consistently shown that the more often they have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink and use drugs.”
This year a major call to action for parents--the Family Day STAR Pledge--which encourages parents all across the nation to take back their seats at the dinner table.
To pledge to be a Family Day STAR commits to:
S - Spend time with my kids by having dinner together. T - Talk to them about their friends, interests and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. A - Answer their questions and listen to what they say. R - Recognize that I have the power to help keep my kids substance-free!
Parents who make every day Family Day are taking a positive step toward raising children, who are emotionally and physically healthy, academically successful, and drug and alcohol free. Family dinners do make a difference. America's drug problem is not going to be solved in courtrooms or legislative hearing rooms by judges and politicians. It will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms and across kitchen tables – by parents and families. It has less to do with the food on the plate and more to do with what is happening at the table. Gathering each night lets children know that their parents are available to them and it serves as a simple and powerful way to foster an excellent parent/child relationship.”
S - Spend time with my kids by having dinner together. T - Talk to them about their friends, interests and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. A - Answer their questions and listen to what they say. R - Recognize that I have the power to help keep my kids substance-free!
Parents who make every day Family Day are taking a positive step toward raising children, who are emotionally and physically healthy, academically successful, and drug and alcohol free. Family dinners do make a difference. America's drug problem is not going to be solved in courtrooms or legislative hearing rooms by judges and politicians. It will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms and across kitchen tables – by parents and families. It has less to do with the food on the plate and more to do with what is happening at the table. Gathering each night lets children know that their parents are available to them and it serves as a simple and powerful way to foster an excellent parent/child relationship.”
7 Secrets to Successful Family Dinners
1. Start the pattern of family dinners when children are young
2. Encourage your children to create menu ideas and participate in meal preparation
3. Turn off the TV and let your answering machine answer calls during dinnertime
4. Talk about what happened in everyone’s day: school, work, extracurricular activities or current events
5. Establish a routine to start and end each meal. Light candles or tell a story
6. After dinner play a board game or serve dessert to encourage the family to continue the conversation
7. Keep conversation positive and make sure everyone gets a chance to speak
For more information about Family Day, visit www.CASAFamilyDay.org.
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