Talk To Children At An Early Age About Life’s Temptations

To the Editor:

On Tuesday, June 20, The Reed Intermediated School PTA hosted Ginger Katz of the Courage to Speak Foundation. The cafetorium was filled with an audience of fifth and sixth graders who sat in rapt attention as Ms Katz spoke to them about the tragic loss of her 20-year-old son Ian to a heroin overdose. Her story was punctuated with streaming slides in the background of Ian and his family and friends as he grew up. Judging from the children’s response as she described Ian’s descent from his early teens into the cycle of addiction, beginning with an offer of an “innocent” sip of beer at a party, or a puff of a cigarette and then marijuana [the story was effective].  She described the drugs and how potent and dangerous they are. She also told the kids of the physical and emotional toll of battling an addiction, and the close association between violence and drugs, describing how her son became entangled and endangered with various drug dealers. Her most important message is really to the kids, to be aware of what will be offered to them and have the courage to say No, and to find adults in their lives whom they trust and with whom they can speak openly about their concerns and their feelings.

We would have liked to have been able to have an evening presentation for families so that both parents and children would hear the same story and offer an opening to discussing the topic. Our youth, like many others in the United States, are unfortunately being confronted at an ever younger age with all kinds of substances which are dangerous and addictive. We as parents and educators need to confront this openly and honestly and talk to our children so that they may make informed and confident choices about how they will respond to people who will be offering them many things which are available all too easily. Judging from the attentive response and the many follow up questions that these preteens asked, it is our hope that getting the message to them before their first “offering” will prepare them for the choices they will have to make and for how they will respond.

Marina Moscovici

Reed Intermediate School PTA

41 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook                                                                                                  June 21, 2006