Eavesdropping & Our first PRIZE DRAWING!

Everyone loves a story... Have you ever been sitting somewhere public and you just couldn't help but eavesdrop on someone else's story?  I know... this isn't polite... or socially acceptable... but I'm guessing we've all done it.  A couple of weeks back I was sitting in the coffee shop when I overheard two gentlemen behind me chatting. Their conversation piqued my interest.

One guy was telling the other about his recent sunny, (insert non-blustery and way above zero) tropical vacation.

“My vacation was basically ...swim, pina colada, cigarette, repeat… I must have smoked a pack a day… When I got back I learned that my favorite Uncle was just diagnosed with lung cancer.  Boy, was that a wake up call! “  He then went on to share with his friend his plan for quitting smoking saying he didn't want to be controlled by the tobacco companies.  

I'm wondering ... what's your story with substances (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or prescription drugs)?  Your story may be simple - making choices to stay clear of them, or it may have lots of layers ... whatever it is please share. Have you always had the same beliefs?  Have you had or continue to have struggles? If you've had a change in attitude - what brought it about?  

PRIZE DRAWING!!! Truly - I'd love to hear your stories... share yours in the comments section below to be entered to win one of two Healthy Lamoille Valley collapsible water bottles.  Winners will be announced Monday, February 10th.  

Uh, oh... another event? What you do matters...

Do you ever skip events, even when they're focused on things that are important to you, because you don't feel like you personally will get anything out of them?  I once had a co-worker who hated going to conferences because she felt like she'd been to so many that she no longer learned anything new.  Do we tune out the importance of staying current on issues that are important to us, because well,  we may not actually struggle with the issue or we've heard it so much?  I know I have at times. What if we look at these events differently?

What if we looked at these events as a way to show support for something that we feel strongly about?  When we go to things we are saying to those around us, "Yeah, I'm going to Family Reading Night. It is important to me, I'm making the time to be there."  Some events, say to our children, "This is important to us as a family."  Our attendance also shares with the presenters that there is community need/interest/support in what is being shared.  

Our attendance helps open the door for future conversations.  About a year ago I went to a parenting class held by the Lamoille Family Center. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to share snippets from the workshop encouraging other parents.  These conversations are important, because they share tools and resources with others who might not have been able to make it to the event.  

Going to events keeps these things a priority in your life.  You're busy, I'm busy... it's really easy to lose focus of what's important.  The further you get from the truth, the easier it is to create a new reality not grounded in facts. "Oh...it doesn't really matter if I let my teen drink with us at home at dinner...it's teaching them to drink responsibly."

Attendance at events is an opportunity to share a value.  Why not go... meet someone new... or even better... invite a friend to join you for the evening?  Causes have the capacity to strengthen and grow friendships.

Have you ever considered that your attendance can help change a community culture?  By sitting in that chair, you're taking a small step to stand up for something you believe is important in your community.  It's a whole lot easier to say something's important when you actually show up.

I share this, in part, to invite you to Healthy Lamoille Valley's upcoming event... 

Special Parent Event: How to Keep Children Safe & Prevent Underage Drinking

Tuesday 1/28/14,  6:00-7:30PM

Varnum Memorial Library, Jeffersonville

What parents think about alcohol impacts their children & their children's friends.  Join us for an engaging event to share resources and answer questions about issues related to: Teen & Young Adult Substance Abuse, Protective Family Factors, Parental Monitoring Strategies, Facts & Consequences of Underage Drinking and Local Resources for Intervention, Treatment & Recovery.

Presenter:  Steve Waldo, Educator for the Department of Liquor Control

Why should you attend?  We realize that parents’ knowledge and beliefs about alcohol’s impact influence how they connect with their children and teens around this topic.  Staying current, no matter your children’s age helps you be a better parent and community member.

Who Should Attend:  Parents,  teens, educators, caregivers, town officials,

store and bar owners, and other interested community members.

RSVP:  Jessica Bickford, by email: healthylamoille@gmail.com

Sponsored by: Healthy Lamoille Valley, Varnum Memorial Library and the Department of Liquor Control

Hope to see you there!  I'll save you a seat!  What events are you attending?  Why do you go?

Like this article?  Follow us on Facebook for more resources:Lamoille Prevention Campaign

Impact

Who you are matters...

Have you ever hung out with someone from another part of the country and found yourself using phrases that are not local to you within a relatively short time?

Growing up our family skipped back and forth across the Connecticut River living in both Vermont and New Hampshire.  The summer treat of choice was soft serve ice cream which we always called a "frostywhip."  When I moved to Northern Vermont,  where everyone calls them "creemees," I decided to stick to my roots and call them soft serves or frostywhips.  Guess what? I now, more often than not, call them "creemees."  My husband, who grew up in Central New Hampshire is still holding strong ordering his soft serve after our 6 years in the "far, far" north.

I share this somewhat silly story to illustrate something that I've been thinking about recently.   Just as we influence those we spend time with, we are influenced by the beliefs and actions of those around us. This is especially true of those whom we spend the most time.  Add the even bigger component of respect for the other person and the impact grows.  We value more heavily the actions and beliefs of those who we look up too.

As a parent I find this realization to be an enormous responsibility that carries with it the need to be present and attentive.  I have two young children who are watching my every move when I'm at my best and ... when I'm at my worst.   They see how I deal with stress. They see how I talk about people I don't agree with.  They see how I care for my body.  They see how I spend my time and money. They see what I value and they are learning. I could take the attitude that what I do right now doesn't really matter... because of course, they're not really making those tough life-impacting decisions right now, but that's not actually true.  Each moment I spend with them now will, in reality, impact them later in life when I can't be with them encouraging positive decisions.

If you have children, students, young neighbors or relatives, you are being watched.  And they are learning from you, what positive changes can you make today to help them learn to make healthy life choices?

Newness

Newness

Each year brings some newness into our lives.  Just a few days into 2014 I find myself sitting in a coffee shop with a new job and a new blog.  A blog that is close to my heart of helping children and their families.  I am excited to engage with my new position with the Partnership for Success, a prevention group in the Lamoille Valley.  It will provide lots of opportunities for me to research and share valuable information with parents and community members to help create and support a positive culture of wellness in the region.

What topics would you like to know more about?