Parental Monitoring

The CDC found that when parents monitor their children, they are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as vaping or substance misuse. Parental monitoring includes setting clear expectations and following through with fair consequences, and knowing where their children are.

Effective monitoring can be done by:

● Talk with your children about where they are going and how they plan to spend their time

after school

● Get to know your children’s friends

● Get to know the parents of your children’s friends, take time to communicate with them

your expectations

● Watch how your children spend money

● Know how your children spends time online, and what websites they are on

● Ensure your children know how to contact you at all times

● Pay attention to your children’s behavior and talk about any concerns

There is a balance to parental monitoring and teen’s independence, parents can encourage

independence while setting appropriate boundaries. While teens desire increased

independence, parents have a responsibility to keep their children safe. Studies have shown

that parental monitoring is linked to increased parent-child communication which leads to better parent-child relationships. Increased relationships, communication and monitoring has led to a decrease in children engaging in risky behaviors and higher academic success.

By Kayla Baker

Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator

MN Metro - Region 7

www.rpcmn.org

References:

1. Catch® My Breath (2021). Catch® My Breath Parent Toolkit. Retrieved from:

https://digitalcatchdirectuploads.s3-us-west-

2.amazonaws.com/thinkific/cmb/CATCH+My+Breath+Parent+Toolkit.pdf

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Monitoring your Teen’s Activities: What

Parents and Families Should Know. Retrieved From:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/factsheets/parental_monitoring_factsheet.htm

3. Partnership to End Addiction (2021). Setting Limits & Monitoring Behavior to Prevent

Substance Use. Retrieved From: https://drugfree.org/article/set-limits-monitor-your-teens-

behavior/

4. Rusby, J.C., Light, J.M., Crowley, R., & Westling, E. (2018) Influence of Parent-Youth

Relationship, Parental Monitoring, and Parent Substance Use on Adolescent Substance Use

Onset. Journal of Family Psychology: JFP: Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the

American Psychological Association (Division 43), 32(3), 310-320. Retrieved from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5920742/