Parents Take a Trip Back to School Tuesday Night

The majority of parents who attended a parent workshop at Riverhead High School Tuesday night were not there on their own accord.  They were there because their children sent them.

"About five o'clock tonight, I got a call from my daughter. She told me I had to come to hear Milton Creagh speak. For a teen to say that, he must be good. I had to come see for myself," said Lynn Romaine of Riverhead.

Romaine's daughter wasn't the only teenager to urge her parents to attend the workshop, presented by the East End Gang Awareness and Violence Prevention Committee (a collaboration of youth bureaus, school districts, and police departments). Some 75 other parents, by a show of hands, said they attended for the same reason.

The organization had previously held a conference earlier in the day on violence prevention for educators, officers, and community activists at the Inn at East Wind, in Wading River. Creagh spoke there as well, in addition to two Riverhead school assemblies he spoke at during the school day.

He joked that he bribed the teens to lobby their parents earlier in the day, but the truth is the students had connected with Creagh as many others have. 

Creagh is a nationally acclaimed motivational speaker, author and radio talk show host.  Throughout his 25-year career, he has spoken to thousands of students, parents, and professional athletes. Creagh, who is from Atlanta Georgia, spoke to parents for nearly two hours about the problems of the youth and what parents can do to raise successful children.

Tuesday night, he sent a message that while drugs are a real problem among teenagers, its not them that parent's need to really watch out for. 

This came a surprise to Riverhead parents Therese Fulcoly and Maureen Chituck. 

"Hearing that drugs are not just a problem for kids is something I will take home," said Fulcoly. 

Pointing out that Americans consume 55 percent of all the illegal drugs produced in the world and that 77 percent of illegal drug users are in the work force, Creagh said, "The kids aren't the problem. It's a bigger problem because it's mom, dad, aunt or uncle or granddad.  Kids are facing serious drug problems without even putting a drug in their mouth"

"This says to me that it is critical that I know my children's best friends and their moms and dads," Creagh said. 

Creagh told parents to not just know what the parents of their children's friends do for a living, but to really get to know them.

"Shake their hands and ask them questions.  Find out what they let their kids watch; what video games their kids can play; and what parameters they set around their house," said Creagh.

Knowing what children are watching on television or what video games they are playing is key, said Creagh, who surprised numerous parents in the audience by telling them what takes place in the video game, Grand Theft Auto.

Parents were shocked to learn that the game contained scenes where players can hire a prostitute, who performs illicid acts.

"Open and play the games before you give them to your kids," said Creagh.

Creagh told parents to know where their kids are.  Elaborating, Creagh asked the students in the audience to raise their hand, if they knew where to get drugs, if they wanted them.

Nearly all the students raised their hands and proceeded to Creagh that they could find drugs with just one text message.

Creagh also urged parents to pay attention.  He said he has heard far too many stories about parents not believing police officers or school officials when they tell them their son or daughter is using drugs.

"You can't afford to be clueless in this day in age. There are too many things out there that will kill your kids.  If someone tells you there is something going on with your child. Be thankful and do something about it."

"Mom and dad we have to make better decisions," said Creagh as he moved to address his final topic.

Saying that nearly 50 percent of kids in America live in a dependent state with their parents well into their 30s, Creagh urged parents to stop spoiling their kids.

"We are supposed to raise our kids to go out on their own.  But parents are giving their kids so much money that they don't have to work. What does that mean to our future."

On an ending note, Creagh pleaded with parents to be parents and teach their children good work ethic, manors, language and how to do things on their own.  Then, he said, their children will be successful.