LifeGuard Youth Development

Everyone has a role in keeping our kids and teens safe! Just remember to Watch, Drop, and Talk!
Watch - Know what prescriptions are in your house and keep track of how many you have. Keep them in a secure location that only you know about. Don’t keep them in the medicine cabinet where anyone in your house can find them.
Drop - Don’t keep unused, unwanted, or expired prescriptions in your home. Drop them off at your local prescription drop boxes at your pharmacy or police station, or dispose of them safely at home.
Talk - Have intentional conversations about prescription medicines with kids and teens in your life. Teach them they should never share their prescription with someone else, and should never take another person’s prescription medication. Let them know that there are fake pills in our communities and just one random pill could potentially be deadly.
Learn more and find free tips, tools, and resources at ParentUpKC.com/drug-topics/Prescription-Drugs!

When discussing prom safety, it’s great to start by noting the excitement of prom and how you want your kid to have fun. Put a bow on it with something such as “Prom is also a time when there is a lot of pressure to do things like drink, do drugs, go places that are unsafe, etc. I want you to have a great time, but I care about you and want you to be safe.” Have this conversation before the busy prom-day schedule, but consider giving a reminder the day of the dance too. Visit ParentUpKC.com/Prom for more tips and tools for keeping your teen safe during prom season.

In light of the opioid epidemic and with fentanyl in our communities, it’s more important than ever to teach our kids about medication safety. By being proactive, even when our kids are young, we can directly reduce the number of accidental poisonings and lay a foundation to protect our kids into their future. Learn more and find free tips, tools, and resources at ParentUpKC.com/drug-topics/Prescription-Drugs

Resilient kids are better equipped to handle the challenges of life and cope with problems. Resilience can be built in our kids starting at home. Here are nine ways families can root their children in resilience starting NOW! Learn more about building resilience in kids, teens, and yourself at RootsOfResilienceKC.com.