11 February 2014

How Parents engage their children so they do not use drugs

Drugs, including tobacco and alcohol, are easily available to children and adolescents. As a parent, you have a major impact on your child’s decision not to use drugs. Most likely, children in grade school have not begun to use alcohol, tobacco, or any other kind of drug. That is why grade school is a good time to start talking about the dangers of drug use. Prepare your child for a time when drugs may be offered. Drug abuse prevention starts with parents learning how to talk with their children about difficult topics. Then, the programs offered by school, sports, and other groups can support what you have started. It is very important that parents build a positive relationship with their kids and talk to them about substance abuse. Because the better they know their children the easier it will be to guide them towards positive activities and friendships. Research shows that the main reason that kids don’t use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs is because of their parent’s positive influence and because they know it would disappoint them. Clear communication by parents about the negative physical, emotional, and functional effects of drugs, as well as about their expectations regarding drug use have been found to significantly decrease substance abuse in children. Adequate parental supervision has also been found to be a deterrent to drug use in youth. Specifically, parents knowing how, where, and with whom Titus 2
Adolescents socialize, as well as limiting their children's accesses to substances that can be abused have been associated with less teenage drug use. Establish and maintain communication with your children. The better they know their children, the easier it will be to guide them towards positive activities and friendships. Talk to your children every day, share what happened to you and ask what happened to them during the day. Ask questions that Kids can’t answer with yes or no. Teach your child how to respond to someone offering drugs. It is much easier to say “No!” when prepared ahead of time. Show your children that you value their thoughts and input. Be ready to talk to your children as early as fourth grade, when they may first feel pressure to experiment with alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Get involved in your children’s lives, like spend time doing something your children want to do every day. Support your children’s activities by attending special events, like recitals and games, and praising them for their effort. Help your children manage problems by asking what is wrong when they seem upset and letting them know you are there to help. In today's society it is so much more important to make every effort to keep our children away from drugs. Here are just a few tips on how to talk to your child and some warning signs of drug use. First of all talk to your child about drugs and what they can do. Begin by approaching your child with a calm and respectful attitude. Tell them you love them and you want to talk to them to keep them happy and healthy. Never ever talk to them in a way the child thinks what you are saying is a joke. You make clear rules and enforce them constantly, discuss the rules, expectations, and consequence in advance. If a rule is broken, be sure to enforce the consequences. This teaches children to take responsibility for their actions. Be sure to give praise when your children follow rules and meet expectations. Be a positive role model for your children. Demonstrate ways to solve problems, have fun, and manage stress without using alcohol