Parents, Talk to Your Kids

Please.


Talk to them about drugs and alcohol.

Do it before I have to do it for you.

As a substance abuse and addictions specialist, this is always the time of year that worries me the most for your kids – going back to school. Every year, I see a rise in referrals for adolescent substance abuse, especially from schools that catch kids using or in possession of substances. It’s the time of year when friends reunite, stress and anxiety are on the rise, and kids look to find a new or unique way to deal with their stress. Add that to the growing pharmacy-like status of many of our local high schools, middle school, and sadly even our elementary schools, and you have a recipe for disaster.

But you can stop it before it even starts.

It starts with you talking to your child(ren) about drugs and alcohol, and your expectations.

And you can never start too early. Your 6-year-old is curious why they see messages on tv and on billboards that tell them drugs are “bad”, but that you have a beer or glass of wine at dinner. It’s OK to explain the differences between occasionally drinking, and using too much. In fact, it’s critical that you answer their questions honestly and openly, so that there is no “mystery”. Mystery causes kids to want to explore. Exploration of drugs and alcohol, at any age, can lead to trouble. But honesty and openness at home, early in your child’s life, can clear up that mystery and diffuse any need or desire to explore.

If you missed out on those conversations with your child, it is OK to start when they are a teen. It’s important that you share your expectations about their behavior when it comes to drugs and alcohol. It’s critical for you to educate them on the hazardous effects of marijuana, alcohol, prescription pills, and all the other drugs that are readily available to them. Let them know that you understand the difficulties of peer pressure, but that you are there to help. Let them know that you even though you are their parent, and not their best-friend, you are still someone they can confide in. Be open and honest about your message on drugs and alcohol. If you don’t, their friends surely will. And the message they give your child may not be the message you want them to receive.

It really starts with a conversation, no matter how old your child is. If they are younger, wait for them to start the conversation. If they are older, you MUST start the conversation with them. Either way, have that conversation, talk to them about it.

Don’t leave it up to me. If they make it to my office for a conversation on drugs or alcohol, it’s not for a good reason. It’s because they were arrested. It’s because they were caught at school and expelled. Or it’s because you already found paraphernalia in their room and don’t know what to do.

You can prevent all of these outcomes by starting a conversation.

Next week, I will write more about how to keep your child safe from drugs. This week, have a conversation.

If you’re how to start that conversation, you can look through previous articles on this website, or download the upcoming free book on the new website (should be live this week). I also encourage you to take a look at www.AboveTheInfluence.com , where I am a featured writer; or www.TheAntiDrug.com , a website specially designed for parents.

Good luck.