Make regular family dinners a priority. Research shows that teens who frequently have family dinners are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior.

Having dinner together allows a family to reconnect each day and creates a firm foundation for each member of the family. Research shows that teenagers who talk about their day with family members at the dinner table are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior. A study published by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found that compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), teens who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; more than twice as likely to use tobacco; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future.