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Home » "Leadership Reads" initiative launched

"Leadership Reads" initiative launched

Submitted by smariani on Mon, 06/27/2011 - 13:17

The Leadership READS Initiative is a nationwide effort to teach parents techniques to minimize teen alcohol consumption and drug use. Leadership READS will be implemented state-by-state by First Spouses through their statewide networks. The first book recommended for parents in the initiative is, Messengers In Denim: The Amazing Things Parents Can Learn From Teens by Parnell Donahue, M.D. (Mapletree Publishing, 2010, MapletreePublishing.com).

Dr. Donahue, a pediatrician from Nashville, TN, reminds parents that their teenager is still the little angel they brought home from the hospital - only now that little angel is wearing denim. He encourages each parent to be the adult they want their child to become: guiding children toward that goal by their example. He urges parents to "listen with patience, respect, and love" to hear the encoded (yet often insightful) messages that teenagers send.

The Leadership READS Initiative will release a discussion guide with each book selection to help adult and youth leaders as they discuss teen alcohol consumption and family relationships. Its first discussion guide based on Messengers in Denim is available as a FREE download on the initiative's website at http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org.  Contents of the guide include ways to develop bonding and trust with children through such activities as having family meals, worshiping together, using a language of strength and resiliency, and behavioral contracting.

Within each state, persons who have the opportunity to engage parents will be provided with the tools they need to conduct parent-to-parent conversations about adolescent alcohol abuse and its impact on teen health. Using selected books to guide discussions, parents will improve parenting skills, strengthen their families, and protect their children from substance abuse.

Here are ways you can become involved:

  • Follow the initiative on Twitter or become a fan of their Facebook page to see what other people are talking about on this issue;

  • Subscribe to our RSS mash-up that crawls the internet every 24 hours to bring to you the latest news on underage drinking; or,

  • Vote on our latest poll and see how other people are voting.