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Palo Alto parents in denial about their teens?
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Annual student survey yields mixed picture on healthy behavior by Christina Kenrick re Palo Alto parents in denial of some 30 parents in the Gunn High about what really goes on in School Library Tuesday night. their teenagers’ lives? “They also were concerned that Survey results suggest that the young people were starting at an earanswer is yes — and no. lier age, but they really had no data.� Most parents know their own chilThe survey is managed by the Palo dren quite well but overestimate the Alto Drug and Alcohol Community involvement of other teens in alcohol Collaborative, representing a host of and drug abuse, according to the lat- community agencies including the est results released this week of Palo school district, Palo Alto Medical Alto’s annual Reality Check Survey. Foundation, the police department, the PTA and the YMCA. People were surprised — and many disbelieving — in the early ‘If everybody thinks days of the survey, when data showed that a solid majority of teens do not that everybody else use alcohol, Beacom said. is doing it, there’s no But careful data screening and amount of education consistent results over six years that the survey data is acor ‘just say no’ that’s suggest curate, she said. going to be effective.’ Because people’s behavior is strongly influenced by what they —Becky Beacom, believe their peers to be doing, it’s health-education manager, important for parents and teens to Palo Alto Medical Foundation get beyond stereotypes of “typical� teenage behavior and understand Teenagers share similar misper- the reality, she said. ceptions. “If everybody thinks that everybody Most of them lead sensible lives but else is doing it, there’s no amount of vastly overestimate the risky behavior education or ‘just say no’ that’s going of their peers, the survey stated. to be effective,� she said. At the same time, a significant In the case of marijuana use, for minority — about 19 percent — of example, 75 percent of Paly and high school students are regular al- Gunn students say they never use cohol users, admitting to drinking it, yet most students assumed their at least monthly. Between 9 and 10 peers were much heavier users. percent of students say they drink Forty-four percent of students weekly or daily. said they had never been to a party The results of the annual Reality where alcohol was present and, of Check — a comprehensive web- those who had, 23 percent said they based survey of some 5,700 Palo Alto themselves did not drink. middle- and high-school students On the other hand, about 10 per— have been remarkably consistent cent of high school students said over six years, said Becky Beacom, they would typically take five or a Palo Alto Medical Foundation more drinks at such a party. health-education manager who has “You have to keep both sides in been involved since the early days mind,� she said. of the project. Survey data also consistently show “People are underestimating the that middle school students vastly health, the kindness, the connect- overestimate the level of drinking edness, the good parenting in this and drug use that occurs among Palo community,� Beacom said. Alto’s high school students. “Does that sound like Pollyanna? On the whole, teenagers aren’t It’s just the truth.� “boozing, binge-drinking party anOn the other hand, she cautioned, imals� in Palo Alto, Beacom said. real concerns remain about the mi“It’s extreme behavior, and it is nority of Palo Alto teens who are se- not normal.� rious abusers of alcohol and drugs. Beacom urged parents to trust their “The gap between what’s really own instincts and to network as much happening and what kids think is hap- as possible with other parents when pening is very important,� she said. grappling with difficult questions. “It affects abstainers, who think “The stereotype of Palo Alto parthat they’re the odd ones out. ents is that they’re in denial,� she “And for the kids who are using said. (drugs and alcohol) and in need of help, “Some of that is true, but the they often delay getting help because other part of that same truth is that they’re comforted with the (false) idea parents often know when somethat they’re in good company.� thing is wrong, and they’re told, The annual survey was begun ‘It’s normal.’ when then-Superintendent Mary “And then they start questionFrances Callan and then-Police ing their own good judgment and Chief Pat Dwyer grew “concerned knowledge.� N Staff Writer Christina Kenrick about the number of students they were seeing with drug and alcohol can be reached at ckenrick@ problems,� Beacom told a gathering paweekly.com.
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