Red Ribbon Week

[Betty]

So the kids are beginning another week at school - Red Ribbon Week.

Although they've been through this a few times now, it's just starting to sink in for my 2nd grader. He comes home from school, holds Daddy's hands and says he loves him very much and he doesn't want him to die so please stop drinking beer.

Now - I'm all for teaching children that drugs are bad.

I draw the line at teaching children that beer, a legal drink that even my husband's doctor seemed to think was just fine at 2 pints a day, was hunky dory.

That just pisses me off.

Teach them that it is wrong and not okay to drink alcohol ---until they are 21. But don't teach them that it's going to kill their parents if they keep drinking it. They find out that's wrong and them perhaps assume that everything else they learned is wrong too... or if not entirely wrong, at least worth testing?

Then you throw in studies on it's effectiveness and I really question why they don't look into a different program... or is that the only one around?

[Moonliner]

Yup, we had much the same experience. 2nd graders don't do shades of gray all that well.

Looking back from a bit farther down the road, I can say in the long run what they see at home has much more of a lasting impression than a few lessons at school.

So I would suggest that you don't rail about the progam to the kid. That just sends a confusing mixed message. Just talk to them about shades of gray until their eyes glaze over and then move on...

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I'm all for teaching moderation to people off all ages. At regular intervals, large amounts of binge drinking will indeed destroy the liver-- but only large amounts.

In Guidance class (the health class for youngsters who weren't ready to witness the banana-condom lecture) in seventh grade, our unit on drugs and alcohol implicated the church. Their logic: if you're encouraged to drink underage, and drinking is so witnessed on a regular basis, it will surely lead to alcoholism. I took offense and voiced it... and got a lower grade!

[Mousey Girl]

I went through this with Nickolas when he was in Kingerdarden or 1st grade. It wasn't about drugs/alchohol though. He was being taught something that I didn't believe in and he came home talking about it. I just told him that I understood what he was saying but that was not a view I agreed with. This had to do with a person in history who has a holiday named after him. I just told him that I thought he was a good man, but not the Great Man he was told about. I figure this will be the stance I take on most of the things he comes at me with that I disagree with.

Our best anti-drug discussion came after a trip to Smart & Final. We were approached by a crack/heroin addict in the parking lot. She had a nice story that she needed money to go see her dying mother. It was clear she was jonesing for a fix pretty hard. He wanted to know why I lied and said that I don't carry cash. We had a nice discussion about it all the way home.

[Gemini Cricket]

2nd grade is not the time to be thinking about your parents dying. How morbid. I mean, I know it's hard to drive a point home for little kids, but doing it with fear? That's just so wrong.

It sounds like time for a family meeting where the two of you sit your child down and say, 'Now, we're going to talk about responsible drinking which adults do and kids shouldn't do until their 21.' Or something like that.

[Betty]

We've had the drinking is for adults in moderation talk as my Husband is a home-brewer with a keg fridge in our family room - so beer is a hobby as much as it is having a beer. It just annoys me that they are taught things I don't agree with. Guess we all can't agree on everything - but come on: beer will make your daddy dead is going overboard.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it as this entire week is Red Ribbon week.

I wonder if they present Marijuana as a legal medical drug in California. Guessing they don't mention that at all.

[Gemini Cricket]

Not to derail but I thought the red ribbon was for AIDS awareness? Or do I have my ribbon colors screwy?

[Ponine]

You are correct, the Red Ribbon, in the ribbon shape is the Aids Awareness ribbon.
The programs that they teach in the schools for red ribbon week, the young people get red bracelets, a flat red ribbon to wear, or any number of things... and have the bright red DARE logo all over campus.
Its, at our school, to teach drug and alchol awareness, and to encourage other activities.

Why the two are so close in proximity or relation, I dont know.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Yeah, I end up having to deal with this as well. They drop a red ribbon in my inbox and expect me to wear it.

I do not.

If someone asks me about it I'd probably say "I forgot" or "I never got one" or whatever. I'm not about to take a stance that might affect how people view me...and maybe get me a surprise drug test.

I think telling kids "drugs are bad" and "just say no" is every bit as irresponsible and ineffective as teaching nothing but abstinence from sex.