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Date: | Wed, 4 Feb 2004 11:34:01 -0600 |
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These are findings from a study done recently.
Teenagers whose parents smoke, were about 50 percent more likely to have had
sex by the time they were 15.
They are also more likely to smoke, drink, associate with substance abusing
peers and participate in delinquent activities.
The two sociologists looked at data from a large national survey called the
national longitudinal study of adolescent health which includes information
on
sexual behavior for 19,000 13 to 18 year olds. Parents and teenagers were
interviewed at length in person about the survey.
About 31 percent of parents were smokers and that was the strongest
predictor of risky behavior among their teenaged children.
It goes on, because parents serve as important roll models for their
children, it stands to reason that parents who exhibit unsafe behavior are
especially likely to have children with similar tendencies.
Experts have long told parents that children will act on what they see
parents do, not what they are told.
this survey found some surprising cause and affect relationships.
Wilder and Watt found that boys were more likely to have sex if there
parents failed to use seatbelts.
In short what they found is that since we are image barrers to our children
that they look to us for guidance and if we engage in risky or rebellious
behavior, that gives them the standards to live up or down too.
I just thought it was interesting.
I actually heard this second hand from Jimmy Evans in a parenting seminar we
purchased.
Take Care,
Matt
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