The Parent Up Blog
We share practical, up-to-date information to help parents tackle difficult issues with their children around underage drinking, drug use, and mental health. Together, we can create positive outcomes for our children!
7 Things to Consider As You Send Your Child Back to School
What a difficult time this is to be thinking about back to school! Not only do you need to prepare your child for going to school, you also need to think about how to keep them safe and productive when they’re schooling from home (if they’re secondary students). And...
The Results are In! New 2020 Data and Looking to the Future
Local Data on Substance Use Declines The Missouri Student Survey is conducted on even-numbered years and tracks risky behaviors of students in grades 6-12 attending public and private schools in Missouri. The survey, conducted jointly by the Missouri Department of...
What are We Teaching Our Kids?: How to be a positive role model when it comes to alcohol
“Role modeling is one of the most powerful tools you have in your parenting tool belt to influence the direction of your children’s character, whatever their age.” —The Center for Parenting Education My nine year old is my little shadow. She wants to be wherever I...
We Are Supposed to Feel: Parenting During COVID-19
This month, Sonya Richardson-Thomas, a Licensed Professional Counselor, gives practical tips and tools for parents as they work to extend grace and acceptance during the current COVID-19 Pandemic. “Life is like a box of chocolates… You never know what you’re gonna...
4 Parenting Trends For 2020
New year, new trends! As we enter a new decade, here are some parenting trends and movements you might see in 2020. Mental Health Transparency Today’s kids are more stressed than ever. Data gathered in 2018 by the National Survey of Mental Health indicated that...
Secrets Versus Privacy
With teenagers on their road to expanding independence, a parental grip must somewhat loosen. The balance between being present and involved, and allowing our kids space and freedom, can tip easily to one direction or the other. We wonder about asking too many...
6 Warning Signs Your Child Has Been Vaping
Vaping –or the use of e-cigarettes– is a dangerous trend that has been rising in popularity among youth. In fact, a 2019 report by the Center for Disease Control shows that the number of middle and high school students using e-cigarettes rose from 3.6 million in 2018...
The Power of Grandparents in Preventing Underage Drinking
Children often hold a special place in their hearts and minds for grandparents. Oftentimes, they feel like they’re able to have open conversations with their grandparents without judgment, criticism or punishment they may receive from parents. It’s for that reason...
Start Young: 5 Ways to Talk To Your Elementary Aged Child About Alcohol
For parents of elementary aged children, the need to talk about avoiding alcohol and other drug use can feel like a long ways off. While it’s true that the pressure to drink with their friends, start using drugs, or hide substance-use behavior from parents may not be...
8 Warning Signs That Your Child Has Been Drinking
We’ve identified 8 few common changes in your kid’s physical appearance and behavior that may be warning signs that they have been drinking.
Alcohol Advertising – How It Influences Youth Perceptions on Drinking
Advertising is everywhere, and alcohol-related advertising is no exception. In 2011 alone, 14 major alcohol marketers spent a whopping $3.45 billion on advertising.
The Secret Sauce of De-stressing
Children get stressed when they experience simple frustrations, such as getting a bad grade, and when big things happen, like when someone they love dies. As parents, we know we can’t prevent our children from experiencing stress, but we can be a buffer from stress rather than a creator or cause of stress.
Top Apps Parents Should Know About In 2019
As a parent, it can feel impossible to keep up with our children, especially when it comes to apps. Here are some of the top apps you should know about as a parent.
What To Do If You Find Out An Adult Is Providing Alcohol
The alarming truth is that kids in the Kansas City Northland rarely get alcohol from retailers; it’s usually from older friends or family. In a survey conducted in 2018, 62.2% of adolescents claimed to have acquired alcohol through a friend, while 41.6% stated that they got alcohol through family members.
Alcohol and the Teen Brain
The brain is not fully developed until at least the mid-twenties with the adolescent years being a crucial period in brain development. Learn why teenagers are more vulnerable to alcohol, the impact alcohol has on the teen brain, and what you can do as a parent to prevent underage drinking.
Welcome to the Parent Up Blog
At Parent Up, our mission is to prevent underage drinking in the Northland through equipping parents with facts, resources and tools. The aim of our new blog is to provide practical, up-to-date information about parenting from local experts and parents like you.