Help Your Kid Handle the Pressure
When it comes to preventing your kid from using alcohol and drugs, you do have a big influence. What you say is important and so is what you do.
- Get informed about the pressures that teenagers face such as peer pressure, advertising, societal messages, parental messages, music, attitudes, and the challenges facing our region.
- Develop a plan to communicate and support kids during stressful times when they'll feel the heaviest pressure to experiment with alcohol and drugs.
- Create a safe, supportive environment to discuss the risks associated with alcohol and drug use.
- Don't be afraid that by talking about drugs you will peak their curiosity. They'll hear about drugs whether you bring it up or not. It's important they hear from you.
- Don't assume your kids know everything they need to know about drugs, and don't leave it up to the school system to teach them.
- Kids today don't have it "easier" than you did. They face huge pressures when it comes to drugs and alcohol, combined with the anxiety of living in a high-stress, fast-paced society that encourages instant gratification.
- Teaching kids to "Just Say No" is not enough. The fact is, kids face enormous pressure and this simplistic message seems to turn them off. In fact, they laugh at it. Rather than just telling them not to use drugs, teach them about the harmful effects and about the effect alcohol or drug use will have on their lives.
- Don't talk down to your kids. Talk to them as you would any person to whom you want to teach an important subject. Listen to their concerns, objections, fears, and questions. If they claim to have evidence that these drugs are harmless, don't just dismiss their concerns. Instead, find scientific documentation of studies on the effects of various drugs.
- Saying, "Because I said so," is not enough of a reason for kids to avoid drugs. They need rationale and to know you disapprove.
- Communicate clearly what you expect and what the consequences of use will be.
- Kids often model bad behaviour. If you drink or use drugs, you may be sending a message that it's ok for them to do it.
- Don't involve your kid in your use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs. Such involvement may include asking her to get a beer, light a cigarette, or "taste" your wine.
Source: ASK - Adolescent
Substance Abuse Knowledge Base
