When I heard the topic for the guest presenter – alcohol and drugs – I thought these elementary school children would be bored by it. At first, while the speaker droned through preliminary remarks, there was little interest, but as soon as he mentioned drugs, hands shot up. “My dad was on drugs,” one of the children blurted, to which the experienced presenter responded that their personal stories should be shared in private with a trusted adult. Later the lesson turned to peer pressure, and how to resist it. The worksheet asked the kids, ages 6 to 10, “If a friend offered you a beer, how might you respond?” I could tell the older children had had this lesson before. “Say, ‘No thank you,’” said one. “Walk away,” came from another. “Tell a parent,” said a third, whose answer was judged to be the best. Sometimes I underestimate the value of teaching, and drilling, children about life skills and street smarts. – Fletcher Farrar, editor
This article appears in October 9-15, 2025.
