Have a Safe, Healthy Homecoming
Football games and homecoming court are part of nearly every teen’s life. Teens enjoy spending time with their friends, getting involved in school activities and sports, and maybe even a parade. Unfortunately, football games and homecoming can also mean late nights, risky situations for teens, and underage drinking. 

Some adults will facilitate those risks for teens by providing them with alcohol. Maybe they want to be cool parents or maybe they think that providing the alcohol lets them manage other risks, but research is clear that providing alcohol for young people is a mistake. 

Parents like that are one of two reasons we created Parents Who Host Lose The Most. Communities needed resources to send a clear, unequivocal message: Providing alcohol for teens is unsafe, unhealthy, and illegal. Since its creation, Parents Who Host Lose The Most has helped communities in all 50 states and even in other countries. Those communities are the other reason we created Parents Who Host. It’s why we’ve offered it and other resources for more than 30 years. 

We encourage you to get the Parents Who Host Lose The Most campaign materials you need to send your message. You can become a Parents Who Host member, order banners and yard signs for an outdoor advertising campaign, stamps and stickers to take your message to the community, and more.
Parent Tips for Homecoming
Share these tips with parents in your community to ensure a safe homecoming season:
  • Discuss expectations about alcohol with your teen. Studies show that teens are far less likely to drink if parents make a clear statement that drinking alcohol is unacceptable.
  • Host an alcohol-free event. Provide your teen and their friends a safe and fun place to go after football games or homecoming.
  • Get to know your teen's friends and their parents. If you know your teen is attending a party after Homecoming, contact the host's parents. Don't be afraid to ask questions about alcohol in the house.
  • Offer to drive or get a limo for homecoming. Not only will you prevent your teen from getting in the car with an intoxicated driver, but it will also take away other risky behavior, including distracted driving.
  • Be available. Let your teen know that you are available by text or phone call at any point in the night if they need to be picked up.
Know! To Practice Good Sportsmanship
The benefits of participating in sports are vast. Sports help build character, boost self-confidence, strengthen perseverance, promote discipline, enhance physical and emotional health, develop teamwork skills, and promote healthy competition. Sports also provide children with additional supervision and additional mentors to help guide them as they grow, which is monumental. In fact, a study by Big Brothers Big Sisters shows that youth are 52% less likely to skip school and 46% less likely to use drugs when they have a caring adult mentor in their lives. Sports also give young people a focus, and another reason to say “no” to substance use and other risky behaviors.

As parents, we should recognize the importance of athletics, and show appreciation for our team coaches and sports officials, who are most likely out there not only because they enjoy the sport, but because they care about our young people.

This Know! Parent Tip outlines the benefits of participation in sports and how you can role model good sportsmanship so your children get the most of these benefits. 
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