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5 Top Tips on How To Talk To Your Child About Drugs and Alcohol #AdelphiCHIPoll

5 Top Tips on How To Talk To Your Child About Drugs and Alcohol #AdelphiCHIPoll

Talking about drugs with your children can be quite difficult especially if you used recreational drugs in the past. It is easy to shrink off into a corner and avoid the issue because you “don’t want to feel like a hypocrite.” The answer is not to avoid the issue or condone drug use but to teach your children from your mistakes by being honest and real. After all isn’t your goal to help your child get further in life than you did? Here are 5 top tips on how to talk to your child about drugs and alcohol written by Dr. Audrey Freshman, of the Adelphi University School of Social Work. .

1. It is never too early to discuss how to tolerate negative feelings

Start with teaching your child life skills. The more your child knows how to cope with negative feelings such as anger, sadness, boredom, and frustration the less likely they are to turn to drugs. We all feel these feelings from time to time and being able to cope with them without resorting to drugs in order to escape from them is a valuable skill to learn at a young age.

2. It is never too early to begin drug education

Children and adults of all ages are constantly bombarded with the benefits of medication. It’s hard to watch television and not see commercials advertising some sort of pharmaceutical intervention. Children should be taught the importance of taking prescription medication as ordered in an age appropriate way. We teach our children not to eat paint chips and drink bleach so we should also teach them not to take someone else’s pills or give theirs away.

3. Talk to your child about drug and alcohol refusal skills

Peer pressure is difficult to resist. That is why as parents we have to stay vigilant and keep tabs on our children when they are out and have some idea of what they are doing and who they are with. Set parameters and curfews and be a parent rather than a friend.

4. Drug prevention is a family affair

According to research, the more meals a child eats with his family the less likely they will be to develop a drug or alcohol problem. Meal time can be used to talk about what happened each day and offer advice on how to overcome obstacles. Be mindful of your own behavior as a parent as well. Children tend to internalize their parents behavior as they gain independence. So try not to drink every night in front of your child and expect them to refuse alcohol when they are out with their friends.

5. Talk to your child about the value of seeking helpful advice

Sometimes your child may need to talk to someone other than you. Teach them it’s ok to seek counseling and that it is not a weakness but a strength. It’s hard to commit to therapy but it’s easy to resign yourself and do nothing about it.

How you interact with your child can shape their behavior in the future. It is indeed hard to teach your children not to do something that you are guilty of yourself, but that is your job as a parent. Our goal as parents should be to raise a child that will be more successful than we are and more equipped to handle life’s problems.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Adelphi University. The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments

  1. Mary Ambrosino says

    Very good advice that all parents should read.

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