Parents in the Workplace

There is no doubt that most workplaces employ parents. If a child or teen becomes involved in using alcohol or drugs, it can affect the parents’ work life due to loss of focus on work responsibilities, taking time off to deal with family matters, coordinating treatment or counseling, and so on.  Workplaces that have resources available for parents, such as substance use or misuse educational links and videos, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), or have a list of community help lines or referral agencies, will support their employee parents through their family crisis.

The News Isn’t All Bad

The reality of drugs and alcohol and its effect on youth seem discouraging, but not all the news is bad. 

According to the U.S. Monitoring the Future 2019 Survey Results, by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the majority of youth do not use drugs.  In 1975, the majority of young people (55%) had used an illicit drug by the time they left high school.  This figure peaked in 1981 at 66% and declined to 41% in 1992.  The percentage rose again and now stands at 47%. Still, more than half of youth have not used drugs in their lifetime.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, parents remain influential figures in a child’s life.  Parenting practices, such as monitoring their children’s activities, friends, and social media are key factors in protecting them from risky behavior and substance use. Studies have shown that teens who hear anti-drug messages from their parents are 42 percent less likely to do drugs. A 2017 study identified that direct talks that provide a narrative or story (real or example) do the best to bolster youth to handle social situations, building communication skills and ability to resist substance use.

Parents are Influencers

The good news is that parents are the most powerful influence on their kids when it comes to alcohol and drugs. Most kids feel that losing their parents’ respect and pride is one of the main reasons for not using marijuana or other drugs. Your words and actions matter.

The best prevention tool for employees who are parents is to get involved in their children’s lives and get educated on the substance use and misuse.

Does your workplace have support for parents?  If so, how are parents supported?