OCTOBER 2023
Upcoming Events
PLEASE NOTE UPCOMING MEETING DATE CHANGE: October Coalition meeting will be held 10/25. You can register for coalition meetings here to get a reminder the day before the event. NOTE: meetings are held in-person AND online for your convenience. We also make meeting recordings available for those who can't make it.
Oct 6, WCSD Superintendent Conference Day / Teachers Teach Teachers: WHEN will provide Narcan/naloxone training at this event, as well as share prevention information with the school community at large.
Oct 23-31, Red Ribbon Week: Use WHEN’s 100% FREE Red Ribbon Week Tool Kit to plan easy and fun activities perfect for schools, camps, scouts, youth groups and more, broken out by age group!
10/28/23 is the Fall DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Start gathering up your unused and unwanted medications and stay tuned for event location and details.
Webster Headlines
Happy October birthdays to WHEN members:
Courtney, Carolyn, Heather, Shawn, Leslie, and Kerry!
We'd like to extend a very warm welcome to our newest WHEN members: Julianne, Wendy, Nicca, Courtney, Beth, Kaitlyn, and Rachael! We are thrilled to count you among our amazing community of caring, engaged members! New members can read this intro to WHEN and find ways to get involved.
Not a member yet? Please join us to empower Webster kids to grow up strong and substance free.
The protective factor signs WHEN purchased will soon be going up around WCSD grounds, in a partnership to support the health and well-being of Webster students and strengthen the protective factors that help guard against negative outcomes. Stay tuned for news of the groundbreaking!
You probably know that the Village of Webster is considering repealing their opt-out of cannabis sales and allowing a cannabis dispensary to open at the former Taylor Rental location on North Ave. WHEN has attended multiple Village Board meetings to share our concerns and vigorously oppose this action, as easier access and normalization are well-known risk factors for increased underage use. Check our homepage for updates.
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We have provided the Village Board with a petition you can still sign opposing cannabis retail and consumption in the village with more than 200 signatures of town and village residents.
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This recent op-ed out of Colorado enumerates several complications of legalization with detrimental impacts, which we hope Webster fully considers before potentially subjecting our community to similar outcomes. Regulation, oversight, and enforcement pose significant challenges, and inevitable shortcomings in these areas provide underage populations with increased access.
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We know from years of consistent data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey that underage use of substances correlates directly with kids’ perception of their parents’ attitude toward substances. So with legalization normalizing usage, we may reasonably expect underage use to increase as well – an unhealthy trend for all, but especially for kids under 25 whose brains are still developing.
PSA: URMC is offering Nicotine Dependence Treatment for all ages. In-person appointments, telehealth, and free Commit to Quit group sessions are all available. This is an amazing resource for our community and has the potential to help so many struggling with nicotine addiction. It's particularly beneficial to our youth population who have seen an increase in nicotine dependence, but have had few resources to help them quit.
Conversations with Kids
Protective Factors: Attachment and bonding to family, opportunities for prosocial involvement in the family, recognition of prosocial involvement, emotional regulation
By WHEN member, Judi Swanson, LCSW~R
Thuli Madonsela said, “I need to listen well so that I hear what is not said.” As parents, guardians, and champions for children and teenagers our ongoing communication with them helps build a solid foundation for positive relationships. The ways in which we communicate with our words, feelings, and actions set the framework to create trusted relationships for our children and teens so they feel safe in having all conversations with us, including courageous ones.
“One of the most important things we adults can do for young children is to model the kind of person we would like them to be.” – Carol Hillman
As children become older, our methods of communicating with them evolve. An article by Child Mind Institute states, “Parents tend to praise children more when they are younger, but adolescents need the self-esteem boost just as much. Teenagers might act like they’re too cool to care about what their parents think, but the truth is they still want your approval. And looking for opportunities to be positive and encouraging is good for the relationship, especially when it is feeling strained.” Younger children are more willing to talk about anything and everything. These important early conversations, and letting your child work through tough times, help them develop the skills needed to feel confident in dealing with problems in their life.
“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” – Ralph B. Nichols
As children grow older there are topics that are challenging to have conversations about. Alcohol and other drugs, vaping, sex, and online/social media are just some of those conversations to be had. The caring adult needs to hold space to hear and understand the thoughts and feelings of the child or teen. The same article states, “At this stage of their life, emerging adults don’t want to feel controlled; instead, they need to feel valued.” This holds true for all ages. Be curious with your child. Listen so you can seek to understand. Let your child or teen feel like you are emotionally connecting with them, even when you do not agree with their choices. WHEN is in this with you. Please visit the For Parents section of our website for additional information.
Spotlight
We would like to shine a light on our partner, Margery Morgan of Webster HOPE. Webster HOPE provides food, clothing, household goods and furniture to those in need in the 14580 zip code. We are grateful for HOPE's positive impact on Webster residents, and our ability to partner with them to meet the community's needs.
Upcoming Meetings
Our next meeting has been revised to Wednesday, October 25 at noon.
Register here to receive details for both in-person and online options.
We meet in person AND online via Google Meet the second Wednesday of each month at noon. Many of us join during our lunch break. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. In fact, our goal is to have representation from all walks of life, to better meet the needs of the whole community. If you missed the last meeting, view it via the link below. We plan to make the most recent meeting available on our website going forward.
Reminder
Don't forget to check out WHEN's free Red Ribbon Week Kit. All the resources we provide are totally free, and activities can be done in a variety of settings and are filtered by age group. You are sure to find an activity that suits your needs! Feel free to share it with any group you think may find it useful. This is our gift to kids everywhere and to those who support them!