Parents are rightly worried about their teens using drugs, whether it's a beer at a party or a prescription painkiller taken for recreation. Conventional drug-awareness education and drug resistance education has proven ineffective. Careful, cooperative parenting, however, still works.
Avoid "The Talk"
Children at a rebellious age can sense a lecture a mile away and have expert ability to ignore it. Even if they hear what you say, they may resent it. In other words, "the talk" can backfire on you. Teach your children about drugs as a matter of everyday parenting; for example, if the TV news does a story about a settlement against Big Tobacco, explain to your child that the tobacco companies were sued for billions of dollars because they sold products they knew could hurt people.
Make sure your child feels welcome to ask questions, share opinions and talk about drugs--especially if they're offered drugs at school or in a social situation.
Keep Them Busy
Inactivity and solitude breed boredom, and boredom breeds drug use. Long summer breaks or after-school hours mean kids are home alone, and no amount of video games or activities can possibly keep them from getting bored. Keep your children in athletic activities, clubs or hobbies. When they're old enough to go places on their own (on bicycles, for example) know where they're going, and keep in constant contact over cell phones.
Know Their Friends -- And Their Parents
It's very important to know who's around your kids--both their friends and their friends' parents. Get together with the parents and talk about potential risks such as large, open stockpiles of alcohol, parties in the home or recreational drug use. You may be surprised at what you hear, even from parents you know and respect.
Make sure all the parents are committed to helping their children avoid drug abuse.
Build Your Teen's Self Esteem
Children and teenagers can be cruel to one another, so raising your child to have confidence and pride in themselves can help them avoid many problems, including drug abuse. When your child does something well or something that makes you proud, be sure and tell them clearly. When your child makes a mistake, criticize the mistake, not the child. "Running over the garden hose with the lawnmower was a dumb thing to do" is much better than "How dumb could you be to run over the garden hose with the lawnmower?"
Make Family Rules
From a very early age, children should feel the importance of family--including the need to follow family rules regardless of how they compare with other families' rules or practices. Make your family rules clear, assign real consequences, and enforce them. Also, follow them yourself.
Look for Signs
Even the best parents and the best rules sometimes can't prevent children or teens from experimenting and becoming addicted to drugs. Parents have not necessarily failed if their children drink or use drugs. They fail when they neglect to address the problem.
Parents know their children, and drugs will cause marked changes in them. Be observant of your child's personality, and look for unusual changes or other signs of potential drug abuse. If your child is using drugs, seek professional help.
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