Parenting Pointers: Helping Teens Make Healthy Decisions

What helps young people make healthy lifestyle choices, resist drugs and alcohol, and other risky behaviors, or succeed in school? The answers aren't simple, and many factors are involved, including effective parenting.  Research shows that parent engagement in schools is closely linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills. Parent engagement also makes it more likely that children and adolescents will avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as sexual-risk behaviors and tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use.

 

The most important message for parents is this:  Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children’s health and learning at school. 

 

The CDC is hosting several upcoming events to help give parents tools to support their teens' ability to make healthy decisions.

 

On November 14th,  CDC and the American School Health Association will cohost a free webinar from 2-3:30pm EST on how parent engagement in school health positively influences the health and academic success of children and adolescents. Dr. Joyce Epstein, Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships and National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University, will provide an overview of high quality programs for school, family, and community partnerships.  Dr. Shannon Michael, adolescent health researcher at the CDC, will identify evidence-based strategies and actions for engaging parents in school health. The session will end with an in-depth overview of CDC’s newly released resources for parent engagement in school health. Register here. 

 

On November 15, the CDC will host a Live TwitterChat from 2:30-3:30pm EST with Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, and subject matter experts Dr. Shannon Michael, adolescent health researcher in CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health and Dr. Patricia Dittus, behavioral scientist in CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. The TwitterChat will enable sharing and discussion of evidence-based strategies and actions for engaging parents in school health. To participate, look for hashtag #HealthyYouthChat or follow @CDC_DrFenton.