Did you know that the most effective way to help protect your child from drugs and alcohol is to talk to them about it?
Awhile ago I wrote a blog post about having "the talk" with your child. Today we are going to tackle talking about drugs and alcohol with your child. Quite frankly there are many similarities about how to approach these subjects.
First of all, this should be an ongoing discussion as opposed to having one big talk with him. I would start when your child is young before they go to kindergarten. I commonly have young children tell me that it is "yukky" that Grandpa smokes or that it is bad for them. These kids are clearly getting the message at an early age.
Second adjust what you say to your child's developmental level. A young child just needs to hear that it is bad while a preteen/teen may benefit from hearing a more specific story (such as relating about how somone you know was hurt or killed by a drunk driver.)
Third, find teachable moments. When you see things in the media or news about drugs or alcohol ask your child what they think. Good times to talk with them are when you are driving in the car together or walking the dog.
Fourth, discuss scenarios with your older child and teen. Ask them what they would do and give them alternate suggestions as well. For example, what would they do if someone offered them a joint at a party. Some things they might say include "Nah, I"m not into that," "No thanks, I"m in sports and I don't want to risk it," or "My parents would kill me."
Fifth, remember that actions speak louder than words. Think about what message you send when you say that you have had a bad day and "need a drink."
Overall the message to all kids needs to be clear that you do not want them to use drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Here is a good resource for further information.
www.drugfreeaz.org
