Did you know that more young people try alcohol for the first time during June and July than at any other time of the year? By involving teens in a variety of alcohol-free activities - such as sports, summer camps, and outdoor recreational activities - you can help prevent underage drinking.

Here are a few other tips for busy families to consider for the summer months and beyond:

• Establish and maintain good communicationwith your child. Building a close relationship with your child when they are young will make it easier for them to come to you when they have a problem.

• Get involved in your child's life - it really does make a difference. Young people are much less likely to have substance-use problems when they have positive activities to do and when caring adults are involved in their lives. Additionally, you will be better able to see changes in your child that may indicate a problem.

• Make clear, sensible rules for your child and enforce them with consistent and appropriate consequences. By doing this, you help your child develop daily habits of self-discipline.

• Set a good example for your child through your own behavior. Your child learns social skills and how to deal with stress by listening to and watching you. Do not take part in illegal, unhealthy or dangerous practices related to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.

• Support your child's social development by teaching your child how to form positive relationships. Research shows that the pressure to use tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs comes most often from wanting to be accepted, wanting to belong, and wanting to be noticed.

• Find out what your child is listening to and how they are spending time with their friends. Research says that monitoring your child's activities is an important way to lower their chances of getting involved in situations you don't approve of, especially those that can be harmful.

Prevention First invites you to stop by and visit our resource center for free information on parenting and many other related topics. Call us at 732-663-1800, ext. 216, or visit us at 1405 Route 35 north, Ocean Township, or on the Web at www.preventionfirst. net.

Mary Pat Angelini Executive Director & CEO

Prevention First

Ocean