Five tips to reduce your child’s risk by influencing his/her behavior (Families United):

Increase Family Monitoring: Make clear your voice and your expectations of your child (and your child’s friends) not using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. This includes a commitment to speak with your child’s friends’ parents on the subject as well.

Reward Not Using or Breaking Rules: Recognize and reinforce your child doing the “right thing.” It will not only increase parent-child warmth, but it has been shown to reduce problematic behavior more effectively than punishment.

Reduce Sleep Deprivation: Limit access to electronic media (cell phones, computers, television, iPods, etc.) at least one hour before bedtime to help your child achieve better sleep patterns.

Increase “Brain Food” in Your Child’s Diet: Protect your child’s basic brain function by increasing foods containing omega-3 (such as leafy green vegetables, nuts, and vegetable oils such as canola, soy and especially flaxseed) and decreasing foods containing omega-6 (some meats and vegetable oils safflower, sunflower, corn and soy) and processed foods made with these oils.

Increase Parental Networking: Share and communicate the previous four prevention concepts with five of your child’s friends’ parents. This will foster “community norms,” to benefit all families in your area.

By following this plan, you will reduce your child’s risk factors for substance use while increasing their protective factors for positive behaviors. For further details on each of the five concepts, please visit: www.SimpleGifts.com (click on Families United).

Source: Dennis D. Embry, Ph.D.: PAXIS Institute: Families United (Simple Gifts), Tuscon, AZ. www.Paxis.org

“Brain Food” Link: http://dhaomega3.org/index.php?category=food-sources