A Father’s Day Message from Rick Raisman, Dad of Gold Medal Gymnast Aly Raisman
I feel so fortunate to be blessed with four awesome kids who all add so many dimensions to my life! As a dad, I respect the responsibility of being a good role model and father to my kids. Each day Lynn and I work hard to instill solid values in our family. We know that we can’t be with them all every second of the day so we dedicate efforts to making sure we encourage a solid set of values and standards that they live by. Making sure my kids are being placed in the best possible position to become successful and happy in life is a huge responsibility for me as a dad.
As the parents of four incredible kids, each at different points in their lives, Lynn and I work together on how to guide them and help them navigate through childhood, young adulthood and eventually (even though they’ll need our input less), adulthood. As our kids get older we know they will be faced with difficult decisions and we know that the choices they make can lead to great outcomes or consequences. Out of the many conversations we have had with our kids over the years, we have made it a priority to talk to them early and often about the risks and consequences of underage drinking.
We know that all of our kids could be faced with the decision to drink underage or not, and by talking with them early we hope that they will make the right decision, to say no to underage drinking. We have discussed the negative effects alcohol can have, whether it is on the brain, on the ability to do well in school, in sports or just in their overall development. It helps that they have a great role model and older sister in Aly to look up to, and they know that they can talk to Lynn and me about anything.
By talking with our kids early, we are setting the stage to better prepare them to make healthy choices so they have the best possible chance to reach their goals throughout life.
Want some tips on how Lynn and I talk with our kids on underage drinking? Visit this page for an exclusive Q&A on how we have held these conversations. Also check out the parent’s page on Ask, Listen, Learn for more tips on how to talk with your kids.
Happy Father’s Day!