How should a parent talk to their child about alcohol and drug use? That’s an important question that will be answered at the “LIVE REAL Mentor: Parent and Caring Adult” session, scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 29, at noon in the Memorial Union Hidatsa room. NDSU faculty, staff, students and the public are invited to attend.

Kent Sandstrom, dean of the NDSU College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Sharon Query, assistant professor and 4-H youth development specialist, will present the session. Participants will learn about research and tips related to adult and parental modeling and messaging.

“We know that parents and other caring adults, like coaches and teachers, play a critical role in children’s decisions about whether or not to use alcohol or other drugs,” said Erika Beseler Thompson, assistant director of alcohol and other drug abuse prevention. “Even at the collegiate level, an overwhelming majority of students report their parents’ expectations about their alcohol use impact their decisions about drinking. We encourage all caring adults to come and learn more about effective ways to talk about this issue with youth of all ages.”

The presentation is sponsored by the NDSU President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.