Giving Thanks at 30,000 Feet

By Anna Seip

We flew out of town for the week of Thanksgiving – me, my husband, my 2-year-old daughter and my 12-year-old son. This was not the norm for our family. The kids had never flown before, and I’d boarded a plane only once since 9/11. (That flight had ended in a panic attack and a trip to the emergency room as soon as I disembarked.) Flying just didn’t feel safe to me anymore, and I’d resigned myself to a lifetime of car travel. My husband didn’t like flying, either, and traveled by plane only when his job required it. Swayed by the offer of four free tickets from my father, however, we set out for a coast-to-coast adventure.

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When Your Child’s Friends Use Alcohol/Drugs

Being proactive, listening can help parents support kids whose peers engage in harmful behavior

Submitted by Oregon Partnership

You’ve worked hard to ensure your child is healthy, safe and prepared to make good choices about not using alcohol and other drugs. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, and you trust him. And yet, you’ve learned that one of his longtime friends is drinking. What should you do?

Parents and children both can struggle to negotiate the challenges of growing up.
Stephen Grant, who has worked with children and families since 1992 as a therapist, group leader and parent coach, shares his thoughts on ways parents can protect their kids while providing an opportunity to learn, grow and support their peers who may be engaged in harmful behavior.

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