But I suspect that giving children the wherewithal to live happy, fulfilled lives would be high on most parents' list of essential tasks. This is big-picture stuff that occurs through everyday interactions with children. Early parenting experiences have an accumulative affect. It is hard to talk about drugs with young people if you have never sat down and talked about sexuality or helped them manage some schoolyard dilemmas they may have faced. Many parents of adolescents feel completely at a loss to know how to approach their children about a whole range of personal issues including drugs, alcohol and parties.
Schools can provide a leadership and bridging role, bringing parents together.
Indeed, it has been fashionable over the past two decades to dump most of our social problems on to schools to fix. Ultimately it is parents who will make the biggest difference when helping young people successfully encounter these issues. That's why the fact that the new Federal Government drug prevention campaign is directed at parents and families is welcome. There is, however, a concern that a pamphlet outlining to parents how they can communicate the anti-drug message will not assist everyone. There are many parents who need assistance but are disenfranchised, lack the skills to use such information, or perhaps are affected by drugs themselves.