Article: Parents should encourage teens' involvement in organized activities.(Originated from Knight-Ridder Newspapers)

Q. I've heard that the more organized activities _ church youth groups, athletics, school organizations _ teen-agers are involved in, the less likely it is they'll get involved in drugs and other inappropriate things. Is that so? If so, can parents dictate to a teen-ager that he must get involved in such activities?

A. Nothing is so deadly as boredom during the teen years; therefore, I definitely think parents should encourage involvement in the sorts of activities you mentioned.

The recipe for ``Teen in Trouble,'' whether the trouble be alcohol, drugs, or sex, is equal parts negative peer pressure, parental underinvolvement, and boredom. Let a teen-ager just ...

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