Everyone says that family is important. But have you ever wondered just how much family connectedness helps kids survive the pressures of life? Good question.  

Being connected to the family is actually the most protective factor in reducing negative outcomes for young people. In the US, young people who feel connected to at least one parent are less likely to be involved with every risk behavior than their disconnected peers. Read that line again.

Being connected to the family is huge. Maybe even greater than huge.

Young people are desperately pursuing a sense of belonging, a sense of identity. Who am I?  Where do I belong in this world?  Who cares about me?  We all modify our behaviors according to where we gain our sense of belonging.  We modify our dress, our speech and our behavior in order to fit in.   Sadly, with the busyness of life and the fears of stranger danger (not wanting to be viewed as a predator on young people), adults have withdrawn more and more from young people’s lives.