WHY SHOULD I SIGN THE PARENT PLEDGE?

The most effective deterrent to drug use isn't the police, or prisons, or politicians it's you, the parents.

Children who learn about the risks of drug use from their parents are 36% less likely to smoke marijuana than children who learn nothing from them' just because you took the time to talk to them.

Research has also shown that 74% of fourth graders wish their parents would talk to them about drugs. The most important thing to remember when it comes to talking about difficult subjects like drinking and drugs is that it's not a five-minute talk. It's about building an ongoing dialogue. As your children grow up, they will need more and more information, so start early and build on the conversation as your child matures.

The average age at which teens start drinking alcohol is almost 13, and the average age at which they start smoking marijuana is 14. Children between 11 and 13 are highly at risk for drug and alcohol experimentation. Keep in mind that children who are close to their parents are least likely to engage in risky behaviors. The more involved you are in your child's lives, the more valued they'll feel, and the more likely they'll be to respond to you.

The objective of the Parent Pledge is to make yourself known as a parent who believes that alcohol use under the age of 21 and any use of illegal drugs is unlawful and unacceptable.

Statistics show that 35% of parents accept drinking as a "right of passage" they tell their teens it's okay to drink "under certain conditions."

Students whose parents clearly expect their children to abstain are 400% more likely to abstain than other students.

Teens who drink are more likely to drown, be a victim of violent injury, engage in high risk activities, and they report higher rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS.

Signing the Parent Pledge shows you are sending the message to children and other parents that you are committed to encouraging and making smart choices as well as upholding the law. We will be publishing a directory of those parents who have signed the Parent Pledge, which can be used as a resource to contact other parents for support, to discuss concerns and communicate with each other.  Only those parents who sign and return the pledge form will be included in the online parent pledge directory.  If you do not have access to a computer, a copy of the parent pledge and directory will be available at participating school offices.

Whether or not you choose to participate, the North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition thanks you for continuing efforts to keep the children of our community drug and alcohol free.

Join others in our community who have made a clear decision to educate and support children and parents as they confront social issues and peer pressure.

Parent Pledge Project Mission Statement: To promote positive choices for youth and parents, to reduce the occurrences of drinking and driving, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, and to provide support for social issues facing parents and young people.

The North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition is offering a valuable tool for parents to engage in joint efforts with each other to encourage positive choices for their children and children of all ages in the community.

North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition is distributing this Parent Pledge to all parents of children in grades 6-12 island wide.  We encourage you to communicate with your children early and often  about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. If you can ingrain this information in your children well before faced with making difficult choices, experts say they'll be more likely to avoid rather than use.

PARENT PLEDGE

We, as adults in the community, agree to send a consistent message to our children that alcohol use under the age of 21 and any use of illegal drugs is unlawful and unacceptable.

We will foster an environment of open communication with our child and encourage open dialogue.

We will help to build our children's self-image:  to provide and promote alternatives to chemicals; helping them feel grown-up in ways other than using alcohol and other drugs; teaching them how to confront problems.

We will teach our child to view drugs as a serious concern and realize that we can influence our child's decisions about whether or not to use drugs.

We will not permit our home to be used for unsupervised parties.  If we will be out of town, we will notify a neighbor or other responsible adult of our absence.

We will not permit the serving of alcohol or drugs to others' minor children on our property, nor will we tolerate the presence of alcohol or other drugs brought on our property by minors.

We will make every effort to prevent students from driving if we know or suspect they have been drinking or using drugs.

We will require our sons and daughters to observe reasonable hours.

We will take measures to be certain our children attend gatherings that are properly chaperoned and will not include the use of alcohol or other drugs.

We will not be tempted to think, "Our child would never engage in risky behaviors." Believing this is risky in and of itself.

Click here to complete the Parent Pledge and mail to:

North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition
PO Box 437200
Kamuela, HI 96743

Parent Pledge Directory will be available in January at www.healingourisland.com or in participating school offices by Dec. 15th.

Here's a tip for parents as their children return to school after this holiday season