Reports released in the past month have drawn attention to the increasing amount of time children and teens spend engaged with various forms of media, often exposing them to potentially harmful content. A Kaiser Family Foundation study shows that young people today are exposed to media for an average of eight and a half hours a day - the equivalent of a full-time job. The Pew Internet & American Life Project also released a study about American families' usage of online filters to limit children's access to harmful content. The report shows that large majorities of both parents and teens think that teens do things on the Internet that would not be approved of by their parents. The report shows large gaps in perception about how much parent-child monitoring is taking place when teens are online: 62% of parents report checking up on their child's online activities, but only 33% of teens say they believe their parents monitor their Internet activity.

Research has shown that teenagers whose parents are aware of the television they watch and the music they listen to are less likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs. Parents should review and talk with children about the images of drugs and alcohol that are present in media, paying special attention to the subtle, yet influential, messages that promote unhealthy choices.

Simply put, the more involved parents are in their child’s life, the less likely they are to try drugs or alcohol. While the increase of drug and alcohol imagery in the media is unfortunate, parents can use this trend as a way to talk to their kids about the risks associated with alcohol and drug use. For guidelines for parents to make better use of their teen’s media time, call the Substance Abuse Action Council of Central Connecticut at 860-826-4985.

Remember, when it comes to keeping kids drug free, parents matter.