Our Viewpoint

Parents, are you listening?

Sanders County Local Advisory Council (LAC) has a vision of building a stronger community. They have spent countless hours researching the habits of our youth and reaching out to share what they have discovered. They are trying to get our attention.

Are you listening?

It is quite alarming to attend LAC forums to find only a handful of attendants. What’s even more alarming? Times have changed; sex, drugs and rock-n-roll as it was in earlier years has changed … big time! Adults who ignore this message, or are simply too busy, are doing a disservice not only to their children, but to the entire community.

It is time to wake up.

Just because we live in a remote area doesn’t mean our children are invincible to “big city” influences. Social media exposes children to every influence in the world, and we adults have given our children tools (cell phones) to access these influences, without giving them direction and supervision on how to properly handle them (imagine letting your child run a table saw alone, without training and supervision).

Sanders County youth drink alcohol by 12 years of age, teenage e-cigarette use is dramatically increasing, and cyberbullying/sexting has taken our children’s lives to a very secretive and dark place; one they are ashamed of and cannot escape alone.

Almost 20 percent of Sanders County kids say they have no adult to turn to for help, even though they need it. It is the LAC’s hope that parents and adults make time to educate themselves and listen and guide the youth of our community.

No family is immune to these pressures. Consider attending one of LAC’s forums and learn for yourself what is really going on in the adolescent world. You will be amazed how the world has changed and how quickly youth are pressured into adulthood. They need positive support and guidance from parents and adults. As a result, we will create in a stronger, healthier community for doing so.