Drug Talk 101: How to Talk to Your Kids About Drugs
Any parent knows that kids unknowingly learn psychology before they learn anything else. As a parent, the gamut ultimately reaches the point of trying to literally read your child’s mind. Is your child trying to detour you from a serious talk? Are they hiding something from you? It can be a tough juggling act for sure. In most cases, we, as parents, can laugh off these sometimes innate and other times learned machinations in our children.
However, in at least one case—drug use—more responsible parenting comes into play. Drugs amount to something much more than just a child’s whimsy or passing fancy. Parents must see through the “smoke and mirrors” of a reticent child, whose future may be at stake.
Luckily, to help parents tackle this communication challenge, medical professionals and researchers offer loads of advice. If you suspect your child is experimenting with drugs, it’s essential to encourage your child to open up on the matter by using the following methods, suggested by experts in the field of illicit drug use.
Don’t Trivialize
Never take a child’s entry into drug use innocently. Even those committed to responsible parenting can make the mistake of dismissing the use of marijuana as something like just sneaking one cigarette from dad or joining a few friends behind a building to drink their first beers.
The problem, according to doctors and treatment experts, lies in the question: What comes next? While pot is not medically considered addictive, a segue into meth or opioids can lead to psychological dependence in some users. Worse, the casual use of meth presents the possibility of falling hard into a serious habit that can severely affect a child’s mental and physical health.
Therefore, a teen’s use of drugs certainly falls under the purvey of responsible parenting. As parents, we are obligated to open a dialogue with our children, even if the drug at hand is as pedestrian as marijuana.
Some of This is Not Unfamiliar Territory
Though drug use is one of the most serious childhood indiscretions, as a parent, you most likely used tactics or strategies in the past that finally helped your child share with you. Think of how you broached the seriousness of lying or stealing a candy bar with your youngster. These precursors to becoming a parent-counselor on the topic of drug use can certainly come in handy when talking to your child about the potential pitfalls of drug use.
Mutually Come to a Conclusion
Once the lid to the drug use conversation is open, you must illustrate how serious drugs and their effects can be. Show your children you are on their side. It’s not you versus them. It’s simply responsible parenting because you care.
Next, it’s important to ask your child if the thought of using drugs ever arises? Ask about friends they know who use drugs. Do they know of any tragic stories? It’s important to gain your child’s perspective.
If your child is concerned about succumbing to peer pressure, discuss ways you can help. Make it a mutual effort. As a parent, sometimes increased accountability can be a huge benefit to your child. Utilizing something as simple and non-invasive as a home hair drug test, like HairConfirm which is available at local CVS Pharmacies, can provide a 90-day peek into your child’s drug use history. It gives your child a reason to be safe, drug-free, and accountable.
Calm, open communication with your child about drug use is ultimately the key to a safe, drug-free home.
Sources:
https://www.livescience.com/36148-talk-kids-drugs-alcohol-tips.html
https://www.parents.com/kids/problems/drug-abuse/talking-to-your-child-about-drugs
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/08/28/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-drugs_a_23188234/
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
