As you know, Lafayette’s teens and pre-teens face many challenges and crossroads in our often confusing and predatory world. A common fear for many parents is the peer pressure our children can succumb to when facing mature issues. Next Tuesday, May 9 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., The Family Tree and The Bayou Church will host a forum for parents to learn how to talk to their children about the difficult topics of bullying, drugs and alcohol, sexual promiscuity and even suicide.
The timing is more important than ever as the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why deals with these very issues and is quickly becoming a popular “binge series” for teens and pre-teens, watching it without adult guidance and support. The reality is that we cannot be completely confident that our children will not see this series without our knowledge, especially with the long summer months ahead. The series is raising concerns from suicide prevention experts about the potential risks posed by the sensationalized treatment of youth suicide.
As parents and as a community, we must talk to our children about these issues before they face them on their own. We have an important role in preventing youth suicide, and that includes schools, too. Being aware of potential risk factors in children’s lives is vital to this responsibility. I hope you will consider sharing the opportunity to attend this free parent forum. Please contact The Family Tree Executive Director, Marie Collins, if you have additional questions about the forum or the series. Marie can also provide more details about the forum itself. More information about the forum can also be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/1433194316751457/
More about 13 Reasons Why - Based on a young adult novel, the series revolves around a 17-year old who takes her own life and leaves behind audio recordings for 13 people who she says in some way were part of why she killed herself. Each tape recounts painful events in which one or more the 13 individuals played a role. Producers for the show say they hope the series can help those who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide. The series graphically depicts a suicide death and addresses in wrenching detail a number of difficult topics a mentioned previously. The series also highlights the consequences of teenagers witnessing assaults and bullying (i.e., bystanders) and not taking action to address the situation (e.g., not speaking out against the incident, not telling an adult about the incident).
Thank you for your support in helping to protect Acadiana’s youth.
