Prevention Works!

Give Children the Gift of Time and Attention This Holiday Season . . . and All Year--
Part 2

As parents, guardians, and other caregivers shop for gifts during the holiday season, they sometimes worry how they can afford everything their children want. This dilemma provides a perfect opportunity for caregivers to think of giving alternative gifts--ones that cannot be found in stores--that do not cost anything and can make all the difference in the life of a child. The love, support, and guidance children receive when adults spend time with and pay attention to them goes a long way toward setting them on the road to a productive, drug-free adulthood.

Studies show a direct link between caregivers spending time with a child and the child’s positive development--becoming a competent, responsible adult who does not abuse alcohol, or use tobacco and drugs. The 1997 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which involved over 12,000 adolescents in grades 7 through 12, demonstrated that a sense of connection with parents and families plays a significant role in protecting teens from unhealthy behaviors, including substance abuse. Last year’s PRIDE survey of students in grades 9 through 12 found that teens are much less likely to even try illicit substances if their parents talk to them and set clear rules for behavior. In a 1997 Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse study, more than half of those surveyed (ages 12 through 17) reported that parents have "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of influence over whether teenagers smoke, drink, or use drugs.

Many recent magazine and newspaper articles suggest ways adults can turn their holiday gift lists into opportunities for giving the gift of time and attention to children. A sampling of such suggestions includes:

• Just spend time with them. If you have a few hours or days of vacation time coming at year’s end-- even if you don’t--set time aside for some simple activity, such as taking a walk or having a talk.
• Know where they are. Where are they going for holiday parties and other activities, when will they return, and with whom will they interact? The holidays are an excellent opportunity for setting and upholding the kinds of clear limits and guidelines children get from parents, not from "pals."
• Oversee electronics and television. Computers, CDs, and video games can become as much of an influence on children’s lives as television. Be aware of the kinds of holiday gifts they are receiving.
• Give praise where praise is due. While children should certainly be encouraged to have positive self-esteem, praise them for their real achievements. The holiday season is a good time to ask children to reflect on their praiseworthy achievements, and to set goals for the upcoming year. Ask them what they think they should be praised for.
• Encourage them to help others. In keeping with "the holiday spirit," the season is perfect for spending time with your children and helping others at the same time. Are there outreach activities in your community that will enable you to spend time together while fostering in your children a spirit of giving their own time and attention as gifts to others?

Such articles acknowledge that raising responsible children in a fast-paced, consumer-oriented society can be challenging. The suggestions they provide can be expanded upon to help children fully understand the real "spirit" of the holiday season. Share this list with them; perhaps they have some suggestions of their own!

This is the second in SAMHSA’s four-part series on parenting and the holiday season. For more information about parenting, the holidays, and how they can be combined to help prevent youth substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Center for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 (TDD: 1-800-487-4889) or http://ncadi.samhsa.gov.

To receive a complimentary copy of this PreventionAlert, call SAMSHA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) @ 1-800-729-6686, TDD 1-800-487-4889 (for the hearing impaired.) PREVENTIONAlert is supported by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and may be copied without permission with appropriate citation. For information about PREVENTIONAlert, please contact CSAP by phone (301) 443-0581 or e-mail gensley@samhsa.gov

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