Holiday Resolutions

10 Resolutions That Show Your Kids You Care:

1. Teach your children to trust you by seeing you as a role model.

2. Be patient, not just tolerant. Apologize when you make a mistake or do something you regret.

3. Ask teens what they need from you – and do whatever you can to meet those needs.

4. Listen to your teens, a lot. Avoid interrupting.

5. Teach your children about ethics, values and principles they can apply in choices and decision making.

6. Help them discover the feeling of gratitude, not just to say thank you.

7. Keep the promises you make. If you do not keep your word, acknowledge that. Help your teen understand the circumstances or choices that precipitated the change in your plans.

8. Answer your teen’s questions and be consistent. When you notice behavioral changes in them, make yourself available and encourage them to talk about what is going on in their life.

9. Be understanding when they have a difficult time and let them know you will love them no matter what.

10. Be diligent. Have ongoing conversations with your kids about the risks of drugs and alcohol.
www.timetotalk.org

ARCADA Holiday Party

'Tis the season...to wear ugly sweaters :) Actually most of the Christmas attire here is pretty cute but you'll be able to spot the Goodwill variety. Merry Christmas ARCADA and PRC Staff! We want to wish everyone a safe holiday season.

PRCA - News

Great news! The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) has ended its sponsorship relationship with Big Tobacco!

Now is the time to ask the PRCA to replace the US Smokeless Tobacco Company (USSTC) with a healthy sponsor – not another tobacco company - so that they can move closer to the mainstream in sports. Taking big tobacco out of rodeos will make them even more family-friendly.

Many kids admire cowboys and look up to them as role models. The sampling booths, scoreboards, banners, and ads that are part of tobacco sponsorship give young audience members the message that using tobacco is part of being an adult cowboy or rodeo fan. Unfortunately, 14% of 12 to 17 year old boys use smokeless tobacco, and the rates are higher in rural states.

Smokeless tobacco causes deadly and disfiguring cancers, and increases the risk of strokes and fatal heart attacks. Ending the USSTC sponsorship allows the PRCA to be a truly consistent supporter of healthy lifestyles and efforts to reduce cancer rates.

Rodeos are very appealing to children and families, and they are growing in popularity. The PRCA clearly presents profitable sponsorship opportunities to many types of companies that are appropriate for a family-friendly sport like rodeo. Let’s urge the PRCA to reject any new tobacco sponsorship in favor of a more family-friendly sponsor.

Sincerely,

Brian Hutchinson
Director, Grassroots
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Smokeless Tobacco Curriculum comes with Stipend!

The Prevention Resource Center is offering a curriculum called "Spotlight on Smokeless" to Ag and Health teachers in rural schools. We provide the teacher's lesson guides and a workbook for each student and the teacher presents 5 sessions to either 5 classes or 100 students. Here's the great part (besides helping our students say "no" to spit-tobacco) this program comes with a $150 stipend upon completion. Let us know if you are interested in bringing this program to your school. holly.mcfarland@arcadatx.org

Red Ribbon Week Pics from Jim Ned

Kids excited about the Red Ribbons!
Media Awareness (KTXS)
Drug-free activity books

Jim Ned Stuco Sponsored this event

Great American Smokeout

Every Year the Great American Smokeout encourages smokers (and dippers) to quit their disgusting/unhealthy/expensive/burdensome habit. This year the big day is November 19. There are a few websites you may want to promote in your area for the smokeout: http://www.greatamericansmokeout.com/

http://www.mylastdip.com/

or you can encourage smoker's to call 1-877-YES-QUIT...they may even be eligible for free nicotine therapy!

PREVENTION:

Here are some interesting Anti-Tobacco media images that may be useful if you are getting some print or web material together.

SPOTLIGHT:

The Merkel High School Badgers Against Tobacco group organized a week-long event for Tobacco-Free Kids day in March 2009. Check-out this picture of one of their activities that is on the homepage of The Texas School Safety Center's website!

Speaking of Texas Tobacco-Free Kids Day (Kick Butts Day)...it's never too early to start planning. For 2010, Kick Butts Day will be on March 24. Here are some websites to get you started in the planning process for annual event.

http://www.txssc.txstate.edu/

www.kickbuttsday.org

www.tobaccofreekids.org

Be sure to check out that first link for the Texas School Safety Center b/c there are free Teen Summit Weekend Regional Trainings that you could go to this winter!

Red Ribbon Week 2009

Red Ribbon Week 2009 was busy for PRC2 as well as for school counselors, student council sponsors and others who planned, organized, and executed their creative ideas to promote drug-free schools and communities. Here is a picture from the Red Ribbon Week Rally held in Austin on Oct. 15th.

Here are some Awesome Red Ribbon Theme Day Ideas we collected from the different schools we work with...jot these down for next year to implement into your Red Ribbon Festivities:

-Give drugs the boot (Wear Boots)

-Doing Drugs is Nerdy (dress nerdy)

-Sport a drug-free lifestyle (wear college/pro/school jerseys)

-Use your head, don't use drugs (crazy hair of hats)

-Turn your back on drugs (wear clothes backward)

-Give drugs the slip (wear slippers)

-I may be crazy but I don't do drugs (crazy clothes/hair)

-Sock it to Drugs (crazy socks)

-Na-cho ordinary Red Ribbon Week (Fiesta themed dress or party)

-Join our drug-free team (wear favorite team clothes)

-My future is bright without drugs (neon colors or career day dress)

-Drugs and I don't match (mis-match clothes)

-Lei off Drugs (Hawaiin theme)

The PRC gave drug, alcohol and tobacco presentations to schools in our area and also helped with Red Ribbon booths and school carnivals, here are some pictures of Door Prize winners at Cooper High School.