PARENTS LEARN ABOUT MEDICINE ABUSE

Learn More » Follow Us On Twitter Friend Us On Facebook Forward To A Friend This School Year, Make a Commitment to End Medicine AbuseWhile helping your teens get ready to return to the classroom this month, it’s important to understand the pressures they may deal with in the coming year. Talking to them now about what they may face will help them be ready to make the right decisions. Perhaps over-the-counter cough medicine abuse has not come up in your child’s life yet, but since one in three teens say they know someone who has abused cough medicine, chances are this issue may surface at some point in your teen’s life. And while you are in “back-to-school” mode, this is the perfect time to introduce yourself to the school nurse in your child’s school and let them know about the Home to Homeroom toolkit. This toolkit was created by Stop Medicine Abuse and the National Association of School Nurses and includes materials that the school nurse in your child’s school can use to create awareness about medicine abuse. Get the Home to Homeroom Tool Kit Here. Get to Know Peggy McKibbin, Our Newest Five Mom! Peggy is a mother of two and a school nurse with nearly 15 years’ experience of working with teens, pre-teens, and their families. She has partnered with the National Association of School Nurses to educate her community about the dangers of medicine abuse, and she is passionate about the “teachable moments” that parents can use to talk to their kids. Get to know Peggy in her first blog post for Five Moms. Make the Time to TalkIt’s important for parents to be hands-on when it comes to their children’s schools. Teachers and school administrators have a great sense of what students are talking about, and it’s important to know what your school’s policy is on drugs and alcohol abuse. Ask your children’s school about prevention programs, substance abuse screening, and more. Get ideas for questions to ask your child’s school here.