Healthy Families Forum

Folsom Healthy Families Forum
Sponsored by FCUSD, Folsom Parks and Recreation, City of Folsom, Project HELP, Another Choice Another Chance, Folsom Police and parents within our community.
Who: Parents, youth, and community members
When: Wednesday May 26th 7-9pm
Where: Folsom High School, theater
Why: Education, prevention and awareness event about the realities our youth face when it comes to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. At this forum you will learn what your youth wants and needs when it comes to communication and you will learn how important it is to be aware and set the limits and expectations for your children. Youth will have the opportunity to do a break out session with youth advocates and talk about their thoughts and feelings surrounding substance abuse - how to help friends, resources available in their communities and more.

Didn't we have one of these last year? It did nothing, the marijuana problem has not subsided, in fact, I think it's gotten worse. Of course, most parents couldn't care less, and some even let it happen at their house. Nothing will ever happen to the problem because nobody wants to do anything about it.....unless it means the legalization of weed, then everyone drops their bongs, gets off their couch and runs to do whatever they can.

Sheldon

To know that it did nothing would be to know the hearts, minds, and actions of all who attended.

Last year's Forum was a great start. Hundreds showed up. Parents became more aware of what is going on with their kids, the choices they face, the dangers, and what they can do about it.

The purpose wasn't to instantly eradicate the drug problem, but to educate people. To that end, it was a great success.

We did have a second forum, right before school got out. It was an outright failure, as despite the publicity, about a dozen parents showed up. I can understand why you and many others think that us Folsom parents don't care. Many of us do.

I/we are not ready to give up. Come to this year's forum. Even if you know everything there is to know, your presence will encourage us to continue trying to build a drug and alcohol free teen community.

By the way, the Rancho Cordova Forum is the night before the Folsom one.
One of the planners said at one of the meetings, "The people of Rancho know there is a problem. They KNOW many of their kids are doing drugs and alcohol, but don't have the resources to turn to. Folsom, on the other hand, has tons of resources, but the parents are in denial that their kids would do drugs."

I believe someone mentioned that Ranch and Folsom each have about the same percentage of kids admitting to doing drugs. Interesting.

Education is the problem, no offense to the teachers (which I know are trying their hardest ) But just scaring the kids isn't going to educate them, you have to make it interesting and let them know the real facts. Alcohol is terrible anyways, I personally havn't heard of use of alot of other drugs besides Marijuana which can be dealt with. (drug dogs, anybody that is dumb enough to bring/do drugs at school deserves to be caught anyways.) The problem can be minimized, i'm sure of it.

Stevethedad: This sounds like a very worthwhile program. Thank you and all those who have been working hard to bring this to our community.

We are going to try to attend....at least the tail end. Unfortunately, it is the same night as the middle school's big end of the year music concert and picnic.

Forumreader

Thanks. I know that there are other events going on in Folsom at this time of year.

For everyone who can, please try to attend the Healthy Families Forum. You will learn a lot, and show your support of our great community.

We need to work together, parents, kids, the community in general.

I hope to see you all there.

By the way, I've been enlisted as the emcee. Wish me luck.

how did it go steve?

Yea I'd like to find out too, I had work and couldn't make it

Content, information, speakers, all fantastic. Attendance, poor.

I am sure there were other distractions, including that it's the end of the school year, we had basketball playoffs, American Idol finals, and Sutter Middle School had an event.

I think most importantly are the facts that despite our best efforts, many parents and kids did not know about it (a couple of kids in attendance said that they didn't hear about it at school, even though we met with administrators, gave them flyers and posters, asked for PA announcements, and asked teachers to offer kids extra credit for attending and reporting back).

And the other reason, I hate to say, is that parents here just don't care enough about the issue, or are in complete denial about it.

We did have a very informative and enlightening program, and only 2 people left before the end, and they stayed for about 90 minutes.

We'll continue to reach out to one another and try to make this thing grow.

It is a very serious issue, with kids getting hooked, overdosing, getting raped, getting hurt, crashing cars, flunking school, becoming depressed, and on and on.

I, for one, am not going to give up.

If I can ask everyone out there, why weren't you there?

Seriously, please tell me. I am not judging or complaining, but we want to develop programs that interest and inform. How can we get more people out there to attend?

QUOTE (stevethedad @ May 26 2004, 09:39 PM)

I think most importantly are the facts that despite our best efforts, many parents and kids did not know about it (a couple of kids in attendance said that they didn't hear about it at school, even though we met with administrators, gave them flyers and posters, asked for PA announcements, and asked teachers to offer kids extra credit for attending and reporting back).

The only thing I heard at school was a quick announcement, and hardly anyone ever hears the announcements or just doesn't care. I saw no posters or flyers or anything. I don't really know what there is to do, but like you said, the parents and their kids either don't care or they are in denial that there is a problem.

maybe if you held it on a weekend? I know many students and parents are very busy during the week

I didn't attend because I feel my children (age 3 and 5) are still too young for this to be an issue. We haven't introduced the concept of drugs to them yet -- sometimes as a parent, I am finding there is such a panoply of evil in the world that I have to introduce it to them a little at a time. They are still dealing with the realization that some people in the world are bad (they call them "swipers," a la the Dora television show) and might even have guns that can hurt people. (I will say, though, that even at their tender ages, they are already anti-smoking crusaders... they are appalled whenever they see someone smoking a cigarette).

When they are older (middle school age?), I will defintely want to make sure they have all the facts regarding the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

A question, though, Steve -- is your program different from what is taught in the schools? Do you feel that what the schools offer is inadequate? ...Of all the (sometimes silly) things modern schools presume to teach about, I would think this is one thing they really ought to focus on.

Border

I understand your reason for not attending. I hope we still have the program in place when your kids are older (or maybe it won't be needed).

I would suggest that you consider the discussion when they ask about it, or when they are about 10 or 11. Kids get exposed to the issue earlier than you may realize. They hear about it at school (the older sibling of a classmate gets busted), or they hear songs about it, see it in movies, the news, or even at home.

They know more than we think (maybe not at 5)

Is the program different from what the schools are doing? You tell me.

Last night our keynote speaker was the Director of People Reaching Out, which provides resources for education, prevention and treatment. We also heard from an 18 year old in recovery.

Our panel included the prinicpal of Natoma Station Elementary, a Folsom cop, a drug/alcohol counselor, a therapist in private practice, a nurse, and the mother of a 14 year old who despite his upper middle class upbringing, involvement in sports, and his good grades, threw it all away for drugs and had to be sent away for treatment.

We had resource tables with pamphlets, brochures, flyers, and volunteers from various organizations, ready to share.

Is that what our kids get at school? Do the parents get the same?

Wow, that sounds like an outstanding program. I especially like the panel of people with real world experience -- not just a boring lecture.

I hope it's still around when my kids are a little older.

Any chance of bringing your program into the schools?? (Of course, then you don't get the parents' attendance...)