Why Adolescents Should Not Drink Alcohol at All and Why You as a Parent Should Never Provide it for Them!!!

Though it may be tempting to be your kid’s “best friend” or the “cool parent” by supplying the beer for an underage party, think again!  There are factual reasons why the drinking age is 21.

It’s against the law for kids to drink.  If you tell them its OK to drink as long as they drink at home, you are, in effect, telling them it’s OK to break the law under certain conditions.  Is this really the message you want to give to your adolescent?  Further, if you as a parent provide alcohol to minors you could be arrested and charged under the Dram Shop Law.

Kids don’t drink socially.  They drink to get buzzed or drunk.  Drinking to get drunk is dangerous in many ways.  Emergency rooms are full of kids who over do it and end up with alcohol poisoning.

Kids get addicted quicker than adults do because their bodies are still growing.  It takes an adult 5-15 years of regular drinking to become physically addicted.  It takes an adolescent 6 months – 2 years.

It’s an adolescent’s “job” to test limits.  If we set the limit at abstinence, hopefully our kids will go no further than experimentation.  However, if we allow social use of alcohol, our kids are likely to test beyond this limit into alcohol abuse or even addiction.

How to Navigate Through the Teenage Waters

 It is no surprise that the teenage years are challenging. As parents we try to recall what it was like to walk the halls of a high school, deal with peer groups of “mean girls” and “tough guys”, all while experiencing mood swings that even the most seasoned Zen Master finds difficult to deal with.

Placing ourselves in the shoes of another on a day to day basis is the key to empathy and understanding, right?

So what happens when all the whimsical quotes and words of wisdom don’t work? What do you do when your child treats you disrespectfully? It is easy as a parent to respond in anger.   Anger is an emotion that we all experience and we are all entitled to, but what we do with our anger can make or break a situation.

According to Kate Cohen-Posey, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist we can follow a few techniques that may seem awkward at first, but will eventually become automatic with practice.

First when we encounter differences of opinion, do not try to demonstrate your point by changing someone else’s mind. Instead point out the process and say “I disagree ” and then you can explain why you do. As a parent this can prove to be a powerful teaching moment. Clearly state what the conflict is. Staying focused on the issue and avoiding blame will help facilitate a healthy difference of opinion and generate respect.

Finally set limits. Teenagers thrive in a structured environment. This is created by showing consistency, love and understanding.

Never underestimate the power of communication. Learning how to get your teen to listen to you in any situation is the objective, but you just want to make sure that the message that they are hearing is the appropriate one.

 

Counseling

Each year Community Youth Network continues to advance its mission to “Preserve and strengthen families while protecting individuals from abusive or high risk situations.". Through our program LIFE Living In Families Effectively we have seen many lives changed for the better.
 
Community Youth Network offers a variety of service modalities. The staff works closely with clients to determine the appropriate services that would best impact a particular problem or situation. The following are some of the numerous services provided by Community Youth Network:

·    Children, Individual Couples and Family Therapy
·    Youth and Adult Group Therapy
·    Outreach Based Youth and Family Counseling
·    Play Therapy
·    Abuse Victim Trauma Assessments
·    Case Management Services
·    Police and Court Diversion Services
·    Anger Management
·    Family Educational Groups
·    Professional and Community Education & Training
·    Substance Abuse
·    Sexually Abused Youth and Adults

CYN Couseling Center

Please consider a charitable donation to Community Youth Network . Click on the Donate button to the right
Your donation may also be matched by your employer's matching program, check with your employer. You do not have to create or have a paypal account to make a donation online, you can use an electronic check, debit or credit card.
If you prefer you can mail in a donation to:
Community Youth Network
18640 W Belvidere Rd.
Grayslake, IL 60030

Take A Step For Kids 5K & 10K Run and 5K Walk

Community Youth Network Launches Child Abuse Prevention Month Campaign

Community Youth Network Launches Child Abuse Prevention Month Campaign

(GRAYSLAKE, IL – January 20, 2011) – To enhance visibility for one of the most troubling issues America faces today, Community Youth Network, Inc. (CYN) of Grayslake has initiated a local community public awareness campaign in observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Child Abuse Prevention Month has been observed nationally each April since the first presidential proclamation was issued in 1983. Since that time, individuals and organizations have joined together during April to make the public more aware of child abuse and its prevention. Events planned in April draw attention to child abuse prevention and raise money to provide solutions.
As part of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Community Youth Network will host its 8th annual Take a Step for Kids 5K/10K Run & 5K Walk at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville on Saturday, April 16th. Last year, more than 800 people took part in the event. This year, the goal is to have 1600 people participate and raise $40,000 for this cause. For information on participating in or volunteering for this event please visit www.takeastepforkids.org, or contact Cindy McKnight (Development Coordinator) at cindys@cyngrayslake.org / 847-548-6000 x 11.

Community Youth Network is a non-profit counseling center, which serves children, individuals, couples and families. With a focus on families, CYN has developed a variety of specialized programs to serve the needs of the Northern Illinois area. Because of community support approximately 75 percent of the 800 individuals and families seen by this organization last year had their therapy subsidized through funds raised.

Winter Newsletters

CYN’s 15th Annual Fall Harvest Auction


Bids for Kids

During the month of November CYN held its 15th annual Fall Harvest Auction “Bids for Kids”. We changed the format from a traditional live auction to a virtual auction posted on the internet.

We are extremely grateful for the community response and support. This year CYN raised approximately $10,000.00 which will help subsidize client’s fees at CYN as well as support our free child abuse prevention services.

Take A Step For Kids 5K 10K Run/Walk

CYN’s 8th annual run walk “Take a Step for Kid’s” is scheduled for April 16th, 2011 at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville.

This event was initially started as a public awareness campaign to sensitize the public regarding the silent epidemic of child sexual abuse. Community Youth Network Counseling Center in collaboration with local radio station WXLC 102.3 FM has aired approximately 210 60 second commercials regarding the pervasiveness of child sexual abuse over the past three years. Reviewing the local census data, we have conservatively estimated that there are approximately 30,000 child sexual abuse victims that have not come forward or disclosed their abuse in Lake County alone.



Last year we were extremely grateful for the outpouring of community support as 800 people participated in the run walk and another 200 attended the event.

This year we will again partner with WXLC 102.3 FM to increase public awareness regarding the silent epidemic of child sexual abuse. For more information regarding this event please review our website at www.takeastepforkids.org and our video on You Tube titled “take step for kids”.

Bikers Against Abuse Motorcycle Run

Last July 25th we held our now second annual motorcycle run “Bikers Against Abuse”. Registration began at Jessie Oaks in Gages Lake. This past year 65 bikers and 100 individuals participated in our 100 mile ride through northern Lake county, southern Wisconsin and McHenry.

We were very grateful to partner with several excellent establishments that were biker friendly and supportive of the cause. The locations included Jessie Oaks, the world famous Brat Stop, Chopper’s of Antioch, Mulligan’s in McHenry, and Broken Oar. The after party celebration at Jessie Oaks was catered by Buffalo Wild Wings and Sweet Tomatoes. Live music was provided by Mistaken Identity. For a look at photos of the event check out our website at www.bikersagainstabuse.org This year we have scheduled the event for 7/24/11. Additional information regarding the event will be available soon on our website.



A CLIENT’S JOURNEY THROUGH SEXUAL ABUSE

HEALING

Jenny, a 29 year old Hispanic single woman, requested therapeutic services to address her inability to concentrate, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, startle response, flashbacks, an inability to enjoy sexual activity and several other common symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has also struggled with substance abuse, depression and unhealthy relationships.

In treatment Jenny disclosed that she had been sexually molested from the age of 5 until she was 17 by three different family members and a close family friend. Her mother had walked in on Jenny being molested by her maternal uncle when she was 5 and sent her uncle (mother’s brother) out of the room and scolded Jenny for her behavior and made her promise to never tell anyone or her Mom would get in trouble. How confusing for a little girl, to be blamed for something she didn’t do and promise secrecy to her mother who was supposed to protect her. This uncle stopped his sexual abuse of Jenny. Over the next 12 years she was again sexually assaulted by three others, two additional family members and a close family friend. The severity of her sexual abuse progressed as she got older.

Jenny agreed to being treated at CYN Counseling Center with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing; an evidenced based treatment to resolve and integrate trauma. In therapy she learned additional coping skills to manage the flashbacks, nightmares and painful memories without relying on drugs or alcohol to numb her pain. She was also re-referred to substance abuse support groups as an adjunct service. Through the utilization of EMDR she was able to revisit the painful traumatic memories that had haunted her through most of her life. Like a lot of sexual abuse victims, Jenny felt responsible for the abuse that somehow she had brought it on. The shame and guilt prevented her like the majority of sexual abuse victims from coming forward and disclosing her terrible secrete. Research studies have consistently identified that the majority of child sexual abuse victims never disclose their abuse and/or seek out help and support. Jenny’s journey consisted of revisiting the painful and toxic memories, emotions, physiological responses and thinking errors. As she processed her traumatic experiences she was able to make sense out of the abuse. She was able to work through the painful memories and integrate them so they were no longer overwhelming and or devastating when she thought about them. As she progressed through treatment her symptoms quickly began to decrease and then alleviate completely. Within a six month period Jenny had resolved and worked through her traumatic sexual abuse history. Jenny no longer suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and considers herself a survivor, not a victim.



Because of your ongoing support, CYN Counseling Center is able to successfully provide hope, healing and wholeness to individuals like Jenny. Any contribution to support CYN Counseling Center’s mission large or small is greatly appreciated.