I worry, as many parents do, that no matter how hard I work to keep my just-turned-13-years-old son on the great path he is now on, there are influences greater than mine that could make him and our family victims of substance abuse. 
I have to face the fact that if I am doing my job properly—moving him toward full independence—he will be spending more time away from our home than he spends in it as he matures. Most of this time will be spent in protective environments like, school, sports and camp, but I’ve heard enough to know that every child, no matter how great the upbringing, financial circumstance, education or other factors, is at some risk.
We are dealing with an epidemic specifically regarding opioid addiction, so we must be educated, vigilant and united in our efforts to protect our children. And yet, despite the concern of parents that I read on social media and hear, among other places, at school board meetings about substance abuse and kids being forced to grow up too fast, there are far too many empty seats and far too few volunteers at programs presented to inform, protect, engage and work toward solutions. I know that schedules are busy and time is valuable, but so are our children. What better way to spend time than working toward keeping them safe. As one opportunity among many, we have all been invited by the Massapequa Takes Action community coalition to attend a town hall meeting on May 19, at the Massapequa Park Town Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. to make our voices heard on the issue of substance abuse by a listening panel of various experts and community leaders. I’d worry a little less if the seats are all full when I arrive at that meeting. It would be a great sign that we really are all in this together to protect not only our own children, but an entire community.
—Kerin Siani
