The beautiful Icelandic tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve

What a beautiful tradition for Christmas--I would love to see people in recovery adopt this--read from the Big Book, the Pocket Sponsor, various meditation books..a night of graditude and recovery sharing!

The beautiful Icelandic tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve : TreeHugger: "Book lovers will want to adopt this lovely holiday tradition, which melds literary and holiday pleasures into a single event.

Icelanders have a beautiful tradition of giving books to each other on Christmas Eve and then spending the night reading. This custom is so deeply ingrained in the culture that it is the reason for the Jolabokaflod, or “Christmas Book Flood,” when the majority of books in Iceland are sold between September and December in preparation for Christmas giving."



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Research reveals adults believe other kids are obese or abusing drugs but don’t worry about their own children

OK--this is the truth and reflects what I deal with a lot--I have always said about "Sober Coaching Your Toxic Teen" that by the time parents know they need it--it is too late! Get the workbook now and learn what you need to know BEFORE you get slapped in the face.

I know parents used to believe that soda was good for kids!!!

Research reveals adults believe other kids are obese or abusing drugs but don’t worry about their own children | The Courier-Mail: "PARENTS “underrate” their child’s significant health issues with research revealing adults believe other children are obese and using drugs but are not worried about their own."



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Rehabs address lower success rates in gay community-we should too

I went to a speakers meetings Sunday night and a recovering woman from the LGBTQ community was the speaker--powerful lead she gave and very inspiriing to all of us--especially the newcomers in the room. I was reminded of how difficult it can be when you are "different" then your peers in some way. When I arrived in several fellowships in 1969--I was "different" (a hippie who also did drugs) and almost run off--but my tenacity and AND the few who reached out to me even though many people in recovery saw me as a threat, are what kept me from going back out.

This Holiday season, make a speical effort to reach out to anyone you see as different--do you not like their looks? They bore you at a meeting, they are strongly religious and you are spiritual, they are gay and you are not, they are young and you are old, they are professionals and you are a blue collar worker? Reach out this year and the gift you give will be to yourself. (read about the Gay community's plight below):

Rehabs address lower success rates in gay community - NY Daily News: "Molly Gilbert, who works at the PRIDE Institute — a Minneapolis-based addiction treatment program founded in 1986 with a specific focus on treating the LGBTQ community — said that most data shows that somewhere between 28% and 35% of the LGBTQ community has a substance abuse problem."

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Attorney general releases shopping guide, warns parents to monitor kids' online

WE do need to monitor our kids online habits--we know this yet do we make the time???

Attorney general releases shopping guide, warns parents to monitor kids' online: "“You as a parent really need to have some understanding of what it is they’re doing with the technology you’re giving them,” Madigan said. “As parents, we have to take responsibility of having these conversations that may not be the most fun but turn out to be some of the most important.”"



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The Family Drug Addict and Thanksgiving

What a great article for any family that has to deal with their drug addict over the holidays! Alcoholism and Drug addiction ruined holdiay after holiday when I was a child--this story talks about dealing with it as an adult. Wow--worth reading. I especially realted to "All this contentment made me a sitting duck for the family drug addict and her annual permutations on holiday-destroying crisis creation." Forget that it's written on a chatolic blog--it's the truth and well written!

The Family Drug Addict and Thanksgiving: "So, they rouse themselves from their self-absorption and go to work, manufacturing crises and doing everything in their power to pull the rest of the family into the traumas of their own devising. They won’t stop until you stop them, or until they’ve made such a mess of the holiday that everyone — Every. Single. Person. — from the littlest baby to the senile old lady is a frazzled wreck, and sullenness and misery hang over the turkey like a fog."



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Opening a dialogue between parents and children about drugs-Dr. Oz

Recnelty Dr. Oz turned from advising people about their weight and aging woes and posed the question about what bothers them about their kids--he got and earful. They were fearful their kids had picked up deadly drug habits. And they have--but its not really anything new. Youth and addiction--its been a problem for us since the dark ages--talking to kids is a always a great idea (although not a panecea) and I support teh National Night of Conversation for the 19th!

Opening a dialogue between parents and children about drugs - Houston Chronicle: "Oz learned that drug overdoses have surpassed traffic accidents as the leading cause of death among young people and that prescription painkillers, and even heroin, are seeping into American middle schools and high schools. That's when the cardiologist, host of "The Dr. Oz Show" and father of four, decided to use his bully pulpit to focus on youth addiction and recovery.

Oz, health officials and addiction experts around the country are calling for a "National Night of Conversation" on Nov. 19. They are hoping families will set aside that Thursday evening for heart-to-heart talks about drugs."



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Wonder why medicine cabinet pain killers are so dangerous to your kids?

Answer: Heroin

The heroin epidemic is recycled every 7 or 8 years--concerned citizens go after it, they manage to get kids to look elsewhere, (unfortunately usually to speed or psychedelics) --then in a few years the heroin epidemic returns.

Is there anything different about it this time? Actually there is because strong pain killers are getting more expensive and harder to con doctors out of--so kids (and way too many adults too) turn to heroin. People are catching on. Solutions? Same as always. Education, diligence, and honestly facing the problem. Read about the "new" epidemic below.

Heroin’s Low Cost and Easy Access Attract People Addicted to Painkillers: Study - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids: "Researchers surveyed 15,000 people being treated for drug addiction, and conducted in-depth interviews with 267 of them. They found almost half of those interviewed were addicted to opioid painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet before using heroin, HealthDay reports."

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Parents & Professionals New Lower Price for Sober Coaching Your Teen

This Holiday season we are lowering the pirce of the workbook for parents dealing with a drug crisis--AND now you can begin a parental support group for as little as $80! Check it out.

Parents & Professionals: Begin a Parental Support Group Today



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Manitoba family who lost son to prescription drug use says help is needed - Manitoba - CBC News

I feel so bad for the fmailies that lose kids to prescription durgs--well any drugs. But when they go into tyour bathroom and get their death sentence there--it is so hard to forgive one's self. For not seeing. For not understanding the danger...The story of this 18 year old is below but it oculd be any of us.

Manitoba family who lost son to prescription drug use says help is needed - Manitoba - CBC News: ""They asked me, 'How old is he?' He's 18," said Dalton. "'Does he want to come in'? I said, 'Yeah, he wants to come in.' 'Ok, well, we will make arrangements on Monday to have somebody call you and get the process started.' Well, when you are in that situation, you know, again, experience now tells me, you don't have time.""



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How a Teen’s Bedroom Can Reveal Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Calling all Parents who think they have a "great" line of communicatin with their teen..READ THIS ARTICLE:

How a Teen’s Bedroom Can Reveal Drug and Alcohol Abuse: "Except no real-life teen lives here — and the computer mouse has a secret compartment for hiding pills, the water bottles are filled with alcohol, and the key ring can be transformed into a marijuana pipe.

This mockup of a teen’s bedroom is actually an innovative exhibit inside the Hanover Mall outside Boston, and the purpose is to tip off parents to signs that their teens may be secretly using drugs and alcohol."

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FREE Poster Download: INNER ADDICT vs the POCKET SPONSOR

Forget the Inner Child. It's the INNER ACOHOLIC/ADDICT we have it deal with! Day By Day has designed a colorful poster that has a strong messaage for those in recovery and is offereing it to you for fee. Download it now!

‘Not My Child’ event to sound warning on drug use

The very thing that makes parents so wonderful, their firm belief in their pride and joy is also their greatest downfoall--their unfialiling belief in pride and joy--so often, they simply cannot "see" what is goiing on. That is what our online questions "The Winning Hand. 21 Questions for Parents." is all about--giving parents the heads up when they simply can not "see". If your child is between 12 and 20--take this every 6 months! Read below about the "Not My Child" position of the most loving parents.

‘Not My Child’ event to sound warning on drug use - New Jersey Herald: "“I wanted to do the event for parents to let them know why kids get involved with drugs, how they get involved, when they get involved and what the signs are,” said Kelli Yanez, a faith-based drug and alcohol counselor with an office in the Franklin Cares building, who organized the event. “A lot of parents think ‘it’s not my kid’ that will get involved with drugs, but it is everywhere and can affect everyone.”"

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Get away to the Caribbean with IRM! | In Recovery Magazine

I love the folks at InRecovery Magazine. This Cruise looks to be fun and inspiring. There are meetings and workshops hand picked by the people at InReocvery and it sounds fabulous!  Entertainment inlcudes  Recovery Films, Comedy Show, Meetings, Special ‘In This Life’ Tours, swimming with stingrays and sharks plus great snorkeling, other entertainment, dancing, and  LOTS of FUN-FUN-FUN. Looking for something different this Dec? I reccomend this getaway and the people sponsoring it.

Get away to the Caribbean with IRM! | In Recovery Magazine: "Travel with us to the Western Caribbean from Houston — including stops at Cozumel, Harvest Caye, Belize, Banana Coast-Trujillo, and Honduras. Join us on this fabulous seven-day cruise vacation on the Norwegian Cruise Lines “Norwegian Jade” December 5-12, 2015."



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Social networking leading to drug abuse among kids worrying parents

Although this article below is from India, talking about how social media is affecting addiction--it affects us here in the U.S. too--However, you often hear that this drug or that drug is increasing in use and parents are concerned and kids are in trouble--this event or that supply is worse than ever. The media gives us headlines designed to scare us. Addiction to any particular drug goes up and down, but the rate of addiction remains pretty steady, about 1 in 10 of us are in trouble with mind affecting chemicals and this includes our kids.



You need to reamain diligent as you would with anything your kids take up--but I don't think social media is much worse then the tail gate parties of the past.

Social networking leading to drug abuse among kids worrying parents - The Times of India: ""There is a very close nexus between social networking sites, drug supply chain and drug abuse among children. Children active on social sites come across online drug suppliers and ultimately due to curiosity because of their age (adolescence) they get into addiction. Drug use and abuse is changing briskly in our society, and in present day it is one of the biggest challenges for us as our young are getting easily exposed to drugs online and abusing it. Children are placing order online and the consignment is reaching them at their doorstep." "

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Liberation Programs Receives $20K Grant for Addiction Treatment for Pregnant or Parenting Women

I have mixed feelings on women taking kids to treatment--while its true that they are relunctant to go to treatment without their kids--I always suspect the women use kids as an excuse not to seek treatment. If you are constantly tending to kids, you are lessl ikely to tend to your recovery. I used to advise young monthers to get someone in the family to take care of the kids for severalmonths in early reocvery--gave the mom's  a better start. But keeping kids in a safe environment with Mom--could work, and of course that depends on the staff and the program too.

Liberation Programs Receives $20K Grant for Addiction Treatment for Pregnant or Parenting Women | Greenwich Free Press: "The program also provides special services for children and is unique to the State of Connecticut since it is the only program of its kind where mothers can bring two children up to the age of 10 to stay with them while they are in treatment."



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Parent warns of dangers of teen drug and alcohol use

So often parents think their kids are "just experimentng" but experimentation can turn ugly fast. More than about 80% of the time this is true--kids do experiment and they do grow up just fine. But for 10% of them, it progresses into an agressive addiciton. How can you tell the difference? You don't want to over react for every little infraction that may be "normal" if not infuriating for you..so how do you tell if they are growing up in a normal and chaotic fashion or if they are headed for addiciton hell? Take this test. Click Here  Abnd read this mothers story below.

P.E.I. parent warns of dangers of teen drug and alcohol use - Local - The Guardian: "Her son had been rushed to hospital with alcohol poisoning.

“He was binge drinking near the Confederation Trail. He and a friend passed out cold and were left there by the rest of the group who were afraid of getting into trouble,” she told The Guardian"



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Drug-Testing Kits Provided to Parents to Start Dialogue with Kids

I have always supported the use of drug testing kits. Kids like to claim "Its an invasion of my privacy!"  But actually, someone using drugs in MY house is an invasion of my rights! I have a right to respect myself, my home, and my kids...and knowing what they are doing is part of the respect and central to protecting them.

Drug-Testing Kits Provided to Parents to Start Dialogue with Kids | Parenting: "The "Give Me a Reason" pilot program has developed a drug-testing kit that aims to educate moms and dads about why kids use drugs and alcohol, help them protect their children, give tips on how to communicate with their kids, and provide tricks to spotting and dealing with substance abuse. It's a partnership among the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership, Mayor Steve Williams' Office of Drug Control Policy and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area."

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The Parent Blame Game | In Recovery Magazine- My Story

I ran across this article again. I wrote it last year for In Recovery Magazine. It's my story with my daughter and the basis for the book from my brother and myself, Sober Coaching Your Teen, as well as the rewrite of Young, Sober, & Free from Hazelden.. If you are a parent and have an addicted child or one experimenting--read my story. Don't let this happen to you.

The Parent Blame Game | In Recovery Magazine: "“Repeat that. He said the joke’s on me?” She nodded. Alcoholism and addiction runs in our family. In fact, it is very aggressive within the Marshall family. My mother, father, uncle, brothers and cousins all suffer from this destructive brain chemistry disorder. Today, most of us are clean and sober. The few who aren’t are in the process of destroying themselves or have already died from the disease."

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Teens teach teens about drug abuse

I like the concept of Drug Story Theater, and we know that peer talking to each other works pretty good--but in this case I would be cautious. Kids may be more likely to listen to other kids, but once they walk out of the theater, they are more likely to listen to the guy beside them--and not remember the story on stage. it's the way of things. Still, this is a lightly better approach than having kids lectured by adults...



You can read about it below.

Teens teach teens about drug abuse - News - The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA - Quincy, MA: "atos, 17, is reading the words from a script, but the story is familiar. Like all the vignettes featured in the Drug Story Theater production, it’s the staged version of what the actors themselves experienced.
The concept came to Dr. Joe Shrand years ago: Many schools have assemblies about drug use, but adults telling kids what not to do just doesn’t have the same impact as teens talking to other teens about real-life experiences."



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Ever get that Sinking Feeling when explaning Drugs verses Alcohol?

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