The one easy step you can take that will decrease your child's chance of being involved in drugs by over 50%.

Drug addiction is perhaps the largest problem facing our youth today particularly in Urban and low income areas. Although there are no guaranteed ways to insure our children's protection there are steps that can be taken that significantly lessen the chances of this problem affecting your children. 

 In this post we will walk you through one easy step that will make your child %50 less likely to become just another statistic in the war on drugs.

The percentage of teens that used drugs in the past year are truly frightening and staggering, but perhaps even more frightening are the statistics on how many teens knew were they could easily obtain drugs. Here are the rates, reported by teens,  as to which drugs they knew how to obtain easily:

*  Marijuana: 85.8%  

* Amphetamines: 55.4%  

* Cocaine: 47.8% 

*  Barbiturates: 46.3%  

* Crack: 39.2% 

* LSD: 33.1%  

* Tranquilizers: 30.1% 

*  Heroin: 29.6% 

*  Crystal meth: 26.7%  

* PCP: 24.2%

(Source "Drug Use: Youth," Bureau of Justice Statistics. U.S. Department of Justice. [Online.] )

What these numbers show is that almost half of the teens in the ENTIRE U.S.A. said they knew were they could easily obtain such deadly & powerful addictive drugs like Coke or Crack; the scary thing is that in inner city and urban communities like ours the rates are a whole lot higher.

A study conducted by CASA (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse) showed conclusively that children in families who eat at least one meal together are:

300% less (3 times) likely to try marijuana

250% (2.5 times) less likely to smoke cigarettes

150% (1.5 times) less likely to try alcohol

These studies also show that the older kids are, the more they may need this protected time together, but the LESS likely they are to get it. Although a majority of 12-year-olds in the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study said they had dinner with a parent seven nights a week, only a quarter of 17-year-olds did.

The Studies also show that kids who eat with their families get better grades in school and have a more positive attitude about their future.

Of course (like many things!) this is not so simple, there are some risks to eating together as a family. In order to be successful, family dinners must be enjoyable -- for you, for your spouse (if you have one), and for your kids. If everyone is tense, irritable or unhappy, there won't be a lot of conversation, bonding or other benefits.

Here is how to avoid those risks:

1.) Speak about subjects that your children like to talk about. Dinner is not the time to talk to them about cleaning their room or improving their grades.

2.) Don't force them to finish their plates and don't get insulted if they don't. Remember this should be a time when your child or teen feels they can relax and feel at home

3.) Its fine if its simple. Just because your all sitting down doesn't mean you have to make a Thanksgiving Dinner every night!

4.) Last and most importantly make your home as physically appealing as possible on the inside. Make sure it has an inviting comfortable feel to it. Look around your house, are the dining room chairs chipped or is the sofa worn out? It may cost some money to buy new furniture, but remember if your child or teen isn't proud of and comfortable in the rooms in your house they are much less likely to enjoy or even attend the meals you will put together. Spend some time deciding how to best make whatever space you have in your home as nice as possible; and make sure to only buy furnishings from stores who have a staff that can help you choose which furnishings will make your house more comfortable and appealing.

Do these simple steps and you have just decreased the chances of your child getting involved with drugs by 50%.