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Stressed-out kids doing drugs? Stop reaching for that crutch
So this story in the St. Petersburg Times last week gave me quite a start: The student paper at Lakewood High School surveyed the kids there about using drugs. The editor said they figured they would find that peer pressure was the driving force behind drug use. But instead the students said they used drugs to cope with all the stress they were dealing with.
Okay, I get that being a student these days is a lot different from back when I was in school. Kids in elementary school are now doing some of the things that I didn't do until I was in junior high (showing my age with that, right?) There is also a lot of pushing by parents to excel. So, maybe they are feeling stressed out, much more than we were as kids.
What I don't understand is this: If they think they are stressed now, what will happen when they become adults and have to deal with the stress of possible unemployment, pay cuts, taking care of a family, being responsible for their own actions?
Talk about stress -- if that is the factor, then everybody should be smoking weed to relax. But we're not, because we know that drugs aren't the answer, and actually can make things worse. If you don't believe me, ask this guy here, now facing manslaughter charges for driving under the influence of pot.
Take it from us Mommas, kids, there are plenty of healthier ways to deal with stress -- exercise, for instance. Don't make it a habit to deal with stress by reaching for a crutch now, or you're liable to still be reaching for one when you're older too, and facing challenges where there's a lot more at stake than the grade on your mid-terms.
-- Sherry Robinson
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Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
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Freelance writer Courtney Cairns Pastor wasn’t so sure about having kids and how she would balance child-rearing with her journalism career. It turned out that her journalism training went to good use. As the mom to a funny, active toddler, she learned to handle him like she did her sources. Never ask yes or no questions (the answer will always be no), get him to be specific (are you crying because you’re wet or your tooth hurts?) and be prepared for anything because no two days are the same. When she’s not playing trucks, Courtney crams for her book club, trains for races and occasionally bursts into showtunes. E-mail her at 
Suzannah DiMarzio has it bad for the Mouse. Although she grew up outside of Boston, she took her degree in tourism management down to Orlando just to work at Disney and the travel industry. Of course, when she married her high school sweetheart, the reception was at Disney. She’s now a seasoned stay-at-home mom to two tweens and a toddler – and yes, that is as crazy as it sounds. Suzannah has her own blog, Comment Policy
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