William Penn Life, 2001 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-05-01 / 5. szám
Helping your kids stay away from drugs This article is reprinted from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. / /hat's the biggest deterrent to ll/kids using drugs and alcohol? V V It's parents. Look at the facts: Kids who learn from their parents or caregivers about the risks of drugs are 36 percent less likely to smoke marijuana than kids who don't; 50 percent less likely to use inhalants; 56 percent less likely to use cocaine.; and 65 percent less likely to use LSD. Still think there's not much you as a parent can say or do? You are the most powerful influence in your child's daily life. But anti-drug parenting strategies rarely are instinctive, even for the best of parents. The 21 tips that follow can help parents turn a child away from the drugs that seem almost inevitable nowadays. You can do something. And you can start right now. Gert tnvolwd Kids who are close to their parents are least likely to engage in risky behaviors. The more involved you are in your children's lives, the more valued they'll feel, and the more likely they'll be to respond to you. 1. Establish "together time." Establish a regular weekly routine for doing something special with your child - even something as simple as going out for ice cream. 2. Don't be afraid to ask where your kids are going, who they'll be with and what they'll be doing. Get to know your kid's friends--and their parents~so you're familiar with their activities. 3. Try to be there after school when your child gets home. The "danger zone" for drug use is between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., when no one's around; arrange flexible time at work if you possibly can. If your child will be with friends, ideally they have adult supervision-not just an older sibling. 4. Eat together as often as you can. Meals are a great opportunity to talk Some Good News » The rate of current use of any Irug among 12 to 17 year olds is ieclining. In 1997. 11.4 percent of <ids in that age group reported they used drugs in the past month, in 1999 that number was down to 9 percent. That’s a drop of 21 percent. • There’s been an even greater decline in marijuana use among teens, falling 26 percent over the same two-year period (from 9.4 percentin 1997 to 7 percent in 1999). Some Bad News • Use of ecstasy (or MDMA) continues to rise sharply among all teens. Most disturbing, while only 3.1 percent of 8th graders said they used this “club drug” at least once in the past year, that represented an increase of 82 percent from the previous year in that age group. Source: Monitoring the Future study. University of Michigan nstitute for Social Research. about the day's events, to unwind, reinforce, bond. Studies show that kids whose families eat together at least five times a week are less likely to be involved with drugs or alcohol. Uarn to Commmioate, Do you know your kids' favorite music group? What's cool at school? The more you communicate, the more at ease your child will feel about discussing drugs and other sensitive issues with you. 1. Be absolutely clear with your kids that you don't want them using drugs. Ever. Anywhere. Don't leave room for interpretation. And talk often about the dangers and results of drug and alcohol abuse. Once or twice a year won't do it. 2. Be a better listener. Ask questkmsand encourage them. Paraphrase what your child says to you. Ask for their input about family decisions. Showing your willingness to listen will make your child feel more comfortable about opening up to you. 3. Give honest answers. Don't make up what you don't know; offer to find out. If asked whether you've ever taken drugs, let them know what's important: that you don't want them using drugs. 4. Use TV reports, anti-drug commercials, news or school discussions about drugs to help you introduce the subject in a natural, unforced way. 5. Don't react in a way that will cut off further discussion. If your child makes statements that challenge or shock you, turn them into a calm discussion of why your child thinks people use drugs, or whether the 6 Willi» Phi Lift, May 2001
