- Talking to our children about drugs are necessary and tough conversations to have. Today Heather from FamilyVolley.com is going to share some tips for talking to your kids about drugs. Hopefully, by sharing these 5 tips, we are going to make the burden of this topic a little lighter to carry.
- Make the topic a lifestyle not a conversation.
- As parents, it is easy to feel like if we have a big “drug talk” then we have done our job. The conversation is not a “one and done” topic. Although a talk is important, talking about drugs over the course of their lives is more important. Meaning, there will be many times when the topic comes up. Be sure to not avoid it, instead embrace it. If you are watching TV and see something you don’t agree with, or something that romanticizes drugs, SPEAK UP. Use it as an opportunity to talk to your children. If you hear something in a song, explain and talk about it. If your child brings up the topic, be willing to talk about it.
- Role play how to say “NO”.
- Kids who don’t know what to say when offered or faced with drugs, are more likely to give in to peer pressure. Role play all the ways to say “no” and how to handle the situation so when it does present itself, they feel confident in knowing they can deal with it.
- Let your child know how YOU feel about drugs and alcohol.
- Research shows that if we don’t tell our children what we value, and what we believe, they assume we believe the opposite. So…if we don’t tell our children how we feel about drugs, and that we don’t approve, and why, they will assume we think drugs are fine. Simply because we didn’t talk about them. Be sure to tell your children how you feel.
- Focus on the present.
- Stay focused on the present. When talking to young children about drugs it is important to stay focused on the here and now. It can be easy to tell our kids how drugs can ruin their future, but kids don’t really “get” the future. Instead, teach them how drugs will hurt them when they want to do the things they love now. Such as how drugs make it hard for them to ride their bike or finish a puzzle or jump rope.
- Make consequences clear.
- Kids are less likely to use drugs and alcohol if their parents have established a clear pattern of consequences. Make the consequences clear ahead of time. And if there is need to enforce, be sure you enforce the consequences that have been set.
- Talking to our child about drugs doesn’t have to be horrible.
- How do you handle difficult conversations in your house?
Have a question, or just want to say hello? You can find me at FamilyVolley.com. On Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Or send me an email. I love making new friends!P.s. If you live in Utah, don’t miss this year’s LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER SHOW. May 5th in the Amber Room at Thanksgiving Point. CLICK HERE for TICKETS. Want to see this years cast? Click Here.
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