Encourage your children to involve themselves in extra curricular activities in school and other positive activities outside of school. Activities are fun, and provide exiting, attractive, useful and productive ways for young people to spend their free time with their friends and grown-ups.

Research shows that teens involved in positive activities are less likely to experiment with illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Young people who are involved with positive activities develop good behavior, problem-solving and decision-making skills, self-esteem, social skills and healthy ways to enjoy their free time. Since youths are at risk of using tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs more than ever, it is important to develop these skills in early adolescence because these are the years young people begin and develop their interests, friendship, and identities.

What Can Parents do?

Teaching children about the danger of using illicit drugs is not enough by it self. They need a caring adult to spend quality time and also need fun, structured, and challenging ways to spend their free time.

Parents may encourage their children:

• To help others, such as reading a book to a child or an elderly person or taking groups of homeless and needy children out for a fun day.
• Volunteer in the community such as helping in the library, planting trees and flowers, teaching elementary school children about safety
• To join in sportive activities such as basketball, hockey, swimming
• To tutor a younger child
• To help in neighborhoods such as shoveling drive ways in winter or gardening in summer time or organizing a neighborhood clean-up day
• To learn something new such as a new hobby like photography, painting, woodworking and crafts

Research shows that young people are less likely to use drugs and alcohol when they have something positive, meaningful to do or spend quality time with an adult to build the skills they need.