As parents, we talk to our kids about health and
safety a lot. We tell them to buckle up in the car,
to look both ways before crossing the street, and
to brush their teeth after meals; it seems like it is never
ending. But, what if you could drastically reduce the
likelihood that your child would participate in dangerous
and destructive behaviors just by talking about it?
Talking about health and safety as it pertains to alcohol
You probably have opinions, values, and beliefs about
substance use, but it can be hard to know when the right
time to bring it up. It might feel like the time is never right;
one day they are too young, and the next they are off
to college.
measures regarding substance use and starting the
conversation is easier than you might think. For instance,
being in a public place where someone is smoking or
drinking too much can be a great opportunity to talk to
your kiddo about the unhealthy choice that person has
made. (Simple, right?)
dropping age-appropriate truth bombs about your
values and beliefs about health and safety can - and
should - be a weekly, or even a daily, occurrence. If you
start when they are little, by the time they get to middle
and high school, they will have a clear understanding
much easier.
If you do have a preteen or teenager, it is time
to have this conversation. They may have knowledge
ever used them themselves - that you do not. Times have
changed since you were a teen and so have the drugs.
For example, did you know that wax, shatter, budder,
and dab are all names for high potency marijuana?
Or that most marijuana cultivated and sold today has
a much higher THC (the
psychoactive ingredient in
marijuana) content than in
past generations? Did you
know that Juul (pronounced
jewel) nicotine cartridges
drives? So similar, in fact,
that many teachers and
parents look at them every
day and do not realize that they are looking at a delivery
system for one of the most addictive substances on
earth! (Plot twist: Juuls can also be manipulated to deliver
marijuana with no tell-tale smoke or smell.)
While this information is good for parents to know (you
is not necessary to start a conversation with your kid. You
really only need two things to start: a clear understanding
of what your expectations are for your child and an open
door to keep the conversation going. You cannot set a
clear boundary for your child if you do not know how you
expect them to behave. This is a continual conversation,
not a one-and-done.
You can talk about it even if you experimented with drugs
and alcohol when you were young, even if it makes you
feel like a hypocrite. After all, we want our children to do
better than us at everything, right? I would encourage you
to share any family history of alcoholism or drug addiction
with your teen, though. Just like with any illness, like
is a vital part of prevention.
If you want to share some of your experience (i.e., “I
really badly.”), do share. Your teen will most likely
of love. Honesty is sometimes the best policy when it
comes to sharing your own experiences, however, if
have to lie, but there is no need to share the extent of
your experience, either.
Also, you will want to brush up on the health risks of
enough to just tell them not to drink or do drugs, they
must have a why. Studies show that kids do better when
they are empowered to make a good choice, not just
given a directive.
If you give them information that will enhance their
ability to make a healthy choice for themselves, along
with knowledge of what your
expectations of them are,
they will be more likely to turn
down an offer of alcohol or
other drugs.
So, go out there and get
your prevention on, and
f o r more help, vi s i t
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