What do parents worry about most as kids head back to school?

Can be so very true depending on the crowd they hang with on & off the field. Luckily my daughter is active with the brainiacs on campus and my son with Alpha Omega. Both have strong groups outside their sports that keep them busy and focused in a positive manner. We can only hope they will continue along this path. Seeing first hand how distructive drugs & alcohol can be is also a good deturrant.

My daughter has a friend from her HS Varsity Soccer team who received a full ride at a midwest colleg for soccer.....unfortunately, drugs, alcohol & the party scene changed her perspective on life. Now she's home after less than a year away with a new baby and the father of the child in jail. My daughter is both sad and disgusted with her friends poor life choices and the opportunity she has wasted.

A family friend has a son who was an outstanding baseball player, college material...... He too has made very poor choices and his entire family is suffering along with him both emotionally and financially.

My husband who had his run in his early teens with drugs & such has never kept his past issues from the kids. Instead has been very open about his challenges and getting over them before they became overly distructive to himself and his family.

There is no magic to protect ourselves or our children from the dangers of peer pressure. The best we can offer them is knowledge of the possible concequences to themselves and loved ones and instill them with confidence to set themselves apart as a role model opposed to falling victum to peer pressure and poor choices.