Celebrate Red Ribbon Week All Year Long

I pinned on my red ribbon last week and began my annual trek to elementary schools, touting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Red Ribbon Week, a drug-prevention campaign, is celebrated by an estimated 80 million Americans each year. It is the largest, most visible prevention/awareness campaign observed annually in the United States. Schools across the country are decorated with hundreds of red bows and homemade posters with slogans like “I’m drug-free and proud!” This year I visited schools in South Carolina and California. While looking out into an audience of red t-shirts, wide-eyes, and cute freckled faces listening attentively to my “words of wisdom,” it occurred to me, shouldn’t we celebrate Red Ribbon Week all year long?

Of course, anything celebrated all year eventually loses its luster. You wouldn’t even want to celebrate your birthday every day. But there are certain ideals highlighted during Red Ribbon Week that could use some longevity. Here they are:

Healthy Choices
Although Red Ribbon Week is a drug awareness and prevention campaign, inspired by the torture and murder of an undercover DEA agent, most schools prefer guest speakers to not mention the word “drugs” at the elementary level. The feeling is that kids at that age are better served by emphasizing the positive side of the equation—making healthy choices.

During an assembly we explore the many opportunities kids have to make healthy choices on a daily basis—from the food they eat to how they choose to spend their free time. Kids always feel empowered when they have a choice. The goal is to take that sense of empowerment and steer it in the right direction. When you see your kids at home choosing a healthy snack or being active after school rather than watching television, praise them for making a healthy choice.

The Family Dinner
The National Family Partnership, a proponent of Red Ribbon Week, has made a concerted effort to promote family dinners as an effective way to reduce substance abuse among children and teens. Research shows that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use drugs. Our family lives are more fragmented than ever, with 60-hour work weeks, long commutes, and extracurricular activities; but it’s important to stop and make that connection as many nights a week as possible.

Drugs in the Home
This Red Ribbon Week initiative emphasizes the wider definition of drugs. As adults we often forget that tobacco, alcohol, prescription and OTC medicines, and even caffeine are drugs, too. I’ve caught myself a few times saying, “I need a coffee,” in front of my son. Now that doesn’t make me the worst parent in the world, but it should make me pause and consider the message I’m sending to my son. Abuse of prescription drugs among teens is on the rise. As parents we have to think about the ramifications of our kids seeing us popping a pill as a quick fix for whatever ails us.

Finding Your Passion
Okay, this last one isn’t an official Red Ribbon Week pledge, but it should be! As kids mature into teens, it’s important they discover an activity for which they feel passionate. Although my preference is that it’s something active, hobbies like art, fishing, and chess work, too. Adolescence is a tricky time, and wanting to be of clear mind to pursue your passion is a good deterrent to doing drugs. When I speak to middle school kids, I change the phrasing, knowing that the word “passion” might elicit some confused looks or nervous snickering. Instead I ask, “What are you into? Are you really into computers? Playing guitar? Gymnastics?” Pre-teens respond better to the question in this form. You may already know your child’s passion, but if you’re not sure, ask: “What are you into?” If this question produces a blank stare, help your pre-teen find his or her passion.

I hope this column has inspired you to participate in the Red Ribbon Week festivities at your child’s school next year. Check with your school’s PTA or related websites, like www.nfp.org to help you get started. Better yet, incorporate the concepts from this column into your family life, and make Red Ribbon Week last all year long!