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Health & Fitness

Easter Egg Hunt: If It's About The Kids, Don't Make It About The Drink

This blog post is in response to the Saturday, April 5, 2014 Patch article titled “Adult Easter Egg Hunts Can Spice Up the Holiday.” 

The Patch article discusses why traditional Easter Egg Hunts should not be limited to children and can be re-imagined for adults with the use of alcohol instead of candy. The Patch author even recommends to make it part of community events.

Although Marin has been applauded for some of the highest health rankings in the state, we are not exempt from some of the toughest health challenges facing the county. Marin scores poorly in the rankings of both youth and adult excessive alcohol consumption. Through data collection we know that 22% of Marin adults surveyed reported excessive drinking in the last 30 days, one of the highest rates in the state (Source: Marin Independent Journal).

Find out what's happening in San Rafaelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As a community we need to think about how child-centric events are being turned into adult events with the role modeling going unnoticed by adults and certainly noticed by our young. Together we must model healthy living. 

If a parent or adult drinks heavily at home, their child is more likely to start drinking earlier and to drink more heavily. The key is to model a responsible relationship with alcohol both in and outside of the home. This can be done by not drinking in front of your children during child-centric or school related celebrations such as Easter egg hunts, birthday parties, prom & homecoming.

The problem of underage drinking is prevalent in our community and is serious. As adults, we need to be aware the facts about underage alcohol use and model healthy behavior in front of our young people. Parents and caregivers can make a difference with their own children by talking to them consistently about the dangers of drinking, communicating expectations and modeling healthy decision making. Adults can also get involved in local coalition efforts in order to improve the health for all of Marin’s youth.

Find out what's happening in San Rafaelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Local coalitions and collectives are engaging local parents, law enforcement, schools, businesses, elected officials and others in efforts to reduce underage alcohol and drug use. Together we can change the culture of substance use in Marin County and help our youth and adults reach their full potential. For more information about how to get involved or to learn more about underage alcohol use, please visit the following:

The Healthy Novato Project
The Mill Valley Healthy Living Community Coalition
The Novato Blue Ribbon Coalition for Youth
The San Rafael Alcohol and Drug Coalition
The San Rafael Alcohol Compliance Team
The Twin Cities Coalition for Healthy Youth
The Youth Leadership Institute
The West Marin Community Coalition

Learn more about the San Rafael Social Host Ordinance
English - http://www.scribd.com/doc/180037937/FINAL-ACT-palm-card-pdf
Spanish - http://www.scribd.com/doc/189075792/ACT-Palm-Card-en-Espanol-in-Spanish

You can learn more about what we are doing and how you can get involved by contacting Kristen Law at the Marin County Prevention Hub.

The San Rafael Alcohol Compliance Team (ACT) has been created through a partnership with the San Rafael Police Department and the Marin County Department of Health & Human Services to reduce underage and excessive drinking in youth ages 12 – 25.

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