KEEPING YOUR CHILD AWAY FROM DRUGS
1. EDUCATE. Talk to your child about the effects of drug use. Give him information on how drugs can damage the body. Clip stories from newspapers about people under the influence of drugs committing criminal acts.
Tell your child that one of the reasons teenagers take drugs is because of peer pressure. Teach him how to say no. Just because someone tells him to do something does not mean it�s the right thing to do. Help him realize that taking drugs is always a choice, a decision that a person makes.
Help your teenager anticipate a situation where somebody comes up and pressures him into trying drugs. Teens want so much to conform and be accepted so the needs to be prepared to resist when he is told that everyone else is doing it. Rehearse some lines with him so he is prepared with what to say when the real situation comes along.
2. BUILD SELF-ESTEEM. Research shows that low self-esteem is a common factor among young drug abusers. They are unhappy about themselves and consequently use drugs to give them an exhilarating feeling.
Enhance your child�s self-esteem:
*Give enough time, care, and attention so that your child feels valuable. If he is neglected he may think that he is not worth bothering about.
*Point out the things your child does well. Recognize small triumphs and admire his capabilities. Improve his confidence by developing his skills in whatever may interest him.
*Love your child unconditionally. Separate the deed from the doer. If he misbehaves, let him know that his actions are not acceptable to you and allow him to experience the negative consequences of his misbehavior so that he will learn. At the same time assure him that your love for him is unwavering.
3. COMMUNICATE. Many drug users admit that it was impossible to talk to their parents about issues that they were concerned with. There were just no chances for open discussions in the family. Teens who end up avoiding communication may have parents who interrupt them and disregard what they are saying, who won�t accept dissenting views, who criticize and ridicule them, or who jump into conclusions and judge their teen harshly.
Give your child the opportunity to let you know what is troubling him. To understand him better, try to put yourself in his shoes. Listen to his hopes, fears, and dreams. Is he in pain? Or is he upset about something? Oftentimes, teens find it difficult to deal with their feelings and are unable to express it. Help him understand his own emotions so that he can deal with it directly.
Be willing to discuss a problem with your child in a way that makes both of you less defensive with each another. Even if you don�t agree with him, allow him to speak up and reason it out with you. He has to see that his point of view receives the respectful consideration it deserves. Don�t impose your solution to the problem. Be willing to negotiate and look for solutions that are mutually satisfying.
(Good Housekeeping Philippines)
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