Drug Abstention Among High School Students at Record High
What? The most recent study conducted by Monitoring the Future (which annually surveys middle and high school students across the United States), found that teen substance abstention—defined in the study as “no past 30-day use of alcohol, marijuana or nicotine by vaping or by cigarettes”—is at a record high. And overall use of these substances is also down.
So What? For a time, there was speculation whether the lowered levels of drug use among adolescents during the pandemic would return to their previous levels once kids returned to school. However, these findings suggest that the shift may be more permanent.
Now What? Parents should remain cautious and educate their children about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. Overall usage has dropped. But the ingestion of some drugs, such as nicotine pouches (such as “Zyn”), has significantly increased. So, while we can celebrate teens’ healthier choices in some areas, other substance-use trends still deserve ongoing vigilance and proactive conversations with our adolescents.
Kids Online Safety Act Still in Flux
What? The Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, is a bill aimed at protecting kids from the harms of social media, gaming sites and other online platforms. It passed in the Senate (91-3) in July 2024, and it would create a “duty of care” that requires companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to minors.
So What? Although there was a push to get the bill passed in Congress before lawmakers headed home for the holidays, the legislation is still pending amid concerns about potential freedom-of-speech restrictions.
Now What? KOSA, if passed, may indeed help protect children from harmful online material, dangerous connections with strangers and destructive screentime habits. However, parents should still be modeling and talking about good social media behavior in their own families. Even with laws such as these in place, teenagers will still be vulnerable to cyberbullying, online peer pressure and other digital threats. So be sure to continue having conversations with your kids about what they’re seeing and doing online.
Gen Alpha Saving Up for Cars, College, Homes and Retirement
What? According to “Acorns Money Matters Report for Kids,” 6% of children ages 6 to 14 are already setting aside money for retirement. And even more are saving up to purchase their first car, first home and college education.
So What? About 95% of parents believe it’s their responsibility to provide for their children financially as they transition into young adulthood. But 36% of those surveyed admitted they haven’t begun saving for future expenses such as college yet, which could be one reason for such fiscally conscientious kids.
Now What? This report underscores how parental stress about money affects our children. Three in five of the older Gen Alpha kids said their parents discuss money often (and a third said “very often”). One in 10 of the kids surveyed said they wanted to help their parents with household costs. About 27% wanted to create an emergency fund. While these aren’t necessarily bad things, it’s good to be aware of how your child views money and to teach them good, biblically-based financial habits—even if you sometimes fail to practice those habits yourself. You can find some ideas to get you started here: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/teaching-your-kids-about-money/.
