Parents, either in the classroom or at home, can reinforce the skills and strategies that their children learn, and they can help their children practice those skills and strategies. For example, parents can ask their children, "When is the next time you think you might use the self-control skill you learned in school? Why don't we role-play that situation and see what happens?" Parents can also follow up after important events such as dances or parties to see how well their children did using the skills.
Cross-age teaching also works well with families. Students in junior high school and high school might well heed older siblings more readily than their parents. These siblings can be trained in both the skill and in how to teach the skill to others. Siblings have the added advantage of providing a relevant context in which to use the skills. A benefit to the older brother or sister is reinforcement of their own commitment to prevention principles.
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