08 April 2013

How to Talk to Your Child About Drugs


As a parent, talking to your child about the dangers of drug abuse is an important part of ensuring their health and safety as they move into adulthood. However, knowing how to start a conversation about drugs can be challenging for many parents who may worry about saying too much or scaring their child. If you are planning to open up a dialogue about drugs with your child, then here are a few tips for making sure that your conversation is effective.


Start Early

Beginning to talk about drugs with children should start as early as preschool. At this age, you may talk about the dangers of taking medicine without your knowledge. As your child matures, you can also begin to discuss issues with tobacco and alcohol. By laying the foundation at this age for open communication, you will be fostering open dialogue that will be essential as your child moves into their teens.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Once your child has moved into the teens, it is likely that they may already be facing the pressures associated with drug and alcohol abuse. They may even already have friends who are being to use tobacco and other drugs. To find out about your child’s experience with drugs, ask open-ended questions about what they know. Using a television show or movie can be an excellent springboard for broaching the topic. Then, remember to listen as your child speaks so that they will feel comfortable coming to you with questions in the future.

Explain Treatment Options

When talking to your child about drugs, it is important to know of a few resources for finding help. Whether your child comes forward with a personal drug problem or is just worried about a friend, being able to explain treatment options is essential. Therefore, you will want to do a little research by visiting websites such as http://www.gulfcoastdrugrehab.com/florida/. Then, you will be equipped with information regarding local resources that can be of help for those with a potential drug problem

Revisit the Conversation

After talking to your child about drugs, know that the conversation should never be fully complete. As your child matures and has more experiences, they may need additional information. Therefore, be sure to check in with your child occasionally to determine if further conversation is needed. Additionally, always let your child know that you are available for them to talk to if a concern ever arises. This way, you can be sure that you will be able to effectively guide your child to adulthood while keeping them safe from the harmful effects of drugs.

31 comments:

  1. I agree that the conversation is never really over... this is not a one and done with our children. Having open communication is the key.

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  2. my parents made me watch documentaries on them and pretty much scared me into not doing them lol worked for me i guess thats one way to do thigns.

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  3. I talked to my kids about drugs from the time they were in elementary school and when my kids were 9 and 12 I woke up from surgery paralyzed. Unfortunately I needed to be on very strong pain medicine and I had a really hard time with them. My kids learned that they were not to talk to anyone about what pills I was on because someone might break in to steal them. The drugs made me groggy and I was out of it a lot of the time. They saw what drugs did to me and decided they were not worth taking. I can't tell you how important it is to start early.

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  4. Something that needs to be done. Another thing that we like to do is mention news articles of real happenings to our teenage sons. It's sad for those who are suffering the consequences of their actions, but it can also be used as a learning tool for others.

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  5. Great tips. It is one conversation that you have to keep bringing up over and over. Things change so fast with kids you need to stay on top of it. Great post!

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  6. Thanks for the tips. This subject is pretty tough! I hope when it's my turn, I will say the right things.

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  7. I am all for starting them early. With all that kind of exposure these days you see on TV, it's never too early to educate our kids. My boys are teenagers now and this topic is often brought up over dinner.

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  8. We started awhile ago with these conversations and agree never too early. This is a topic we discuss often with our 11 year old now, especially since we have some family members that have drug issues.

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  9. It is extremely important to talk with your kids about drugs. You need to start early and prepare for the talk with relevant material if you are not sure how to talk to your kids. You can get important information from many sources,

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  10. Thanks for this article/review of important subject. Lots of good tips and advice.

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  11. I spoke to my daughter at a very young age about this so hopefully she takes my advice. I spoke to her older brother about it when he was young and I know he doesn't use them.

    sibabe64 at ptd dot net

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  12. I really enjoyed reading your take on this. I want all the help and opinions I can get. My 4 month old grandson was born very sick and they have told us NO drugs or alcohol are in his future. It would be very hazardous to his life. He is tiny now but we all know what happens down the road. Thank you so much.

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  13. i love this post every child should have this post because i believe if you dont talk about it it might actually happen

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  14. I am so glad to see this post. So important to keep the communications open with your children. My kids are grown now but we had conversations about alcohol, drugs and sex from when they were in 6th grade and it continued through their teens. They remained 'clean' through college and are now happily married.

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  15. I think I done a good job talking to mine! Seen too much in my life, I scared them...lol

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  16. I have had the talks with mine too! I am very blessed that my teen is Very open and comfortable with talking to me about Anything. I don't know what I did right with him, but I am sure grateful for that!

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  17. My oldest child is only 6 years old and i am not looking forward to this talk. I know it is necessary and I will be looking for lots of ways to approach the topic. My parents never talked to me about drugs other than dont do it or ill kick you out of the house... Thank you!

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  18. I agree, it is never too early to have conversations like this with your kids. My boys are 14 and 11 and we have had several talks. There are a few people on both sides of the family that use drugs and I will not let my kids spend the night at their houses. My boys would get mad because they want to play with their cousins. So I eventually had to explain to them why. No they really see how people act and how it affects others around them.

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  19. i agree it is very important we also talk to my daughter about this the kids are starting things earlier and earlier so it is good to prepare her for that . We also talk to her about not taking things like candy and stuff because of the drugs going around in schools that look like candy that is horrible and hope no kid get's there hands on that but u never know as my child goes to school with 4, 5 , and 6th and most 6th graders are starting that early or have brothers and sisters and it is scary thing i just hope and pray through talking to her she does not pick up those habits.

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  20. Thank you for the advice. My daughter is only 2 right now, but I know the time will come sooner than later that I will have to talk with her about these things!

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  21. My son is learning about drugs from the police visits to his school. He's in gr. 6. He has questions and comments and it is helpful to have tips on what to say. Thanks!

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  22. Great post. Open communication is so important. I really hope that this helps even one parent to have a conversation about such an important topic.

    Erin K. (erinknack08@yahoo.com)

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  23. I am glad to have read this to prepare myself for the inevitable!

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  24. I like the suggestion of using a movie or t.v. shop as a springboard to talk to your kids about drugs. I can only imagine the temptations our kids face day in and day out in this culture. I wouldn't want to be a teen now.

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  25. Great post. TV is often a great way for me to begin a difficult conversation with my girls.

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  26. Great post, we have had some discussions but I need to really focus on a real discussion. This needs to be taken seriously.

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  27. Great post we have had some discussions, but I really need to focus on the topic. This really needs to be taken seriously.

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  28. This is a great post. It is helpful to have suggestions on how to tackle this issue, and when. It is so scary to think what happens "out there."

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  29. This is a really good post. I think a lot of parents wait too long to have this talk and then it is too late.

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  30. This is some of the most important parenting advice existing. Our state had a 14-year-old fatal heroin dose last week. With adolescence its an absolute truth they will not talk unless feeling safe and know for sure they are being heard. The early if a life these drug, alcohol and tobacco are discussed, the better chance they will also be avoided.

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  31. when my children where in junior high that is when we had a sit down about drugs , and i am sure i will be helping with my grandchildren, the more you know the more you can protect and keep your children safe... great post and thanks for share

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