A
Parents Guide To Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
|
A Parent's Guide to Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention A "how-to" for parents who want to get involved in alcohol and other drug use prevention for children, within their own community. The availability of alcohol and other drugs for our young people is frightening. No parent can assume that their child will never try alcohol or other drugs. What can you, as a concerned parent and community member do?What You Can Do 1. First, talk with your own child. The National Crime Prevention Council brochure "Talking With Your Kids About Drugs" gives specifics for one on one conversation with your children. This brochure is designed to give you an idea of the large picture, and what you can do to help. Plenty of other resources exist. Some are listed at the end of this material with addresses and telephone numbers. 2. You are powerful! Small groups of parents all over the country are banding together, and are finding that their needs and wants are being listened to. Your community may already have a group of concerned parents ready for you to join in preventing alcohol and other drug abuse. If there is no group, start one. The important thing to remember is that as a group, you can accomplish things that would be impossible as a single, concerned parent. 3. Many of the groups that are involved in drug abuse prevention do other things as well. The PTA, Boy and Girl Scouts, schools, community centers, religious groups (particularly the youth programs) and youth groups are all involved in alcohol and other drug abuse prevention. If any of the existing groups in your community are already involved in alcohol and other drug use prevention, join them. If not, recruit them. 4. All 50 states have been mandated by federal law to have alcohol and other drug abuse prevention curricula in the public schools. You can become involved in the process that is used to develop policies and to choose a curriculum. Let your school board representative know what curriculum you favor. The PTA may want to form a study group on the various curricula. 5. As a group, you can make sure there are drug-free alternatives for young people After-school activities, teen centers, and clean, supervised play spaces are all things your group can consider. Alcohol and other drug-free prom and graduation nights are special projects other communities have successfully undertaken. If you want to work directly with the kids in your community, you can volunteer to be a coach, a scout leader, or even just officer to supervise, provide transportation, or refreshments. Involve local businesses as sponsors. 6. Your group can solicit businesses to provide after-school and summer jobs. 7. Every community has a variety of service agencies ad support groups for both drug and non-drug related problems. Researching and publicizing these groups and agencies is a valuable service. 8. Sponsor parenting workshops - workshops where parents find some of the answers on how to do a better job of helping their kids grow into productive adults. 9. Your group can sponsor mediation and peer counseling training for adults and young people as a way to help alleviate stresses and resolve disputes. 10. Organize the older kids to write and produce skits for the younger ones about staying away from alcohol and other drugs. Having the skills to resist peer pressure is critical. Older kids can really help younger kids with these skills. Most kids love this activity. Parent-Peer Groups You can form or join a parent-peer group - a group that forms to provide its members with education (good, accurate information about alcohol and drug use is very important), and to support one another in coping with their children's problems. The group provides supervision for all the children to make sure they are staying away from alcohol and other drugs. The biggest obstacle to forming a parent-peer group is a lack of awareness. Many parents find it difficult to accept that their child might be involved with alcohol or other drugs. We believe that today, every parent needs to be aware of drugs, and of the possibility that drug use will touch the lives of their children. If you know or suspect that your child or child's friends are using alcohol or other drugs, then starting a parent-peer group is a particularly effective way to help yourself, your family, and your community .Parent-peer groups set rules and curfews as a group. These rules and curfews are also enforced by the group. These groups are particularly important in setting and maintaining the standards for alcohol and other drug-free activities, especially parties. The rules are widely known and enforced. This can reduce much of the parent-child arguing over these issues, leaving parents with more time and energy to spend with their children. Resources National Clearinghouse for
Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) American Council for Drug
Education (ACDE) National Federation of Parents
for Drug-Free Youth (NFP) Parents Resource Institute
for Drug Education (PRIDE) National Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC) The National PTA Just Say No Foundation (JSN) Note: We include alcohol as part of children's drug abuse prevention for several reasons. 1. Alcohol is a drug, illegal for anyone who is a minor 2. Research shows that the use of alcohol frequently precedes the use of marijuana and other drugs, particularly when alcohol use is begun before or during the early teen years. 3. Early drinkers are more likely to become heavy drinkers later. Talking With Your Kids About Drugs Preventing drug abuse really begins with preventing drug use. Some children as young as third and fourth grades feel pressured to try drugs - especially gateway drugs like alcohol, nicotine (tobacco), and marijuana. Research shows that each of these can increase the chance that the user will turn to even more dangerous drugs like crack or other forms of cocaine, and stimulant or depressant pills. The average age of the first use of illicit drugs (including alcohol) is 12 years! Constructive communication is one of the most effective tools you can use in helping your child avoid drug use. The very act of regular two-way communication sows your child that he or she means a great deal to you. What To Communicate ·The facts about how drugs harm people - young people especially. Physical harm - slowed growth, impaired coordination, etc. Social harm - being disconnected from society, loss of friendships, loss of interest. Education harm - impaired memory and attention levels, and reduced motivation. · The fact that you do not find drug use acceptable. Many children say their parents never stated this simple principle. Don't forget to point out that these drugs are against the law. · The fact that there are lots of positive drug-free alternatives, and you will help your children explore them. · The fact that you place high value on your child's good, special qualities - qualities that drugs can and will destroy or diminish. · The power to say no - A clear message about the behavior you expect; your trust in your child to live up to your hopes; the belief that your child, knowing right from wrong, is smart enough to choose the right and say no to drugs. Ways to Communicate · Calmly and openly - discuss frankly and without anger the facts about drugs. Don't exaggerate. The facts are chilling in and of themselves. · In terms of subject matter, not personalities - Challenging current friends might lead to defensive or defiant behavior. · Face to face, exchanging information and understanding - Be an active listener and let your child tell you what he or she knows about drugs, what his or her own experiences have been, what fears or concerns already exist. · Through "teachable moments" - In contrast to a formal sit-down lecture, use a variety of situations - television news, TV dramas, books, newspapers, local situations. Capitalize on one point. You'll have opportunities to make other points. Ask the child how he or she would have reacted, what else might have been done or might have happened. · As an ongoing dialogue - Communication won't be as effective if the subject is brought up in one massive lecture. Anti-drug use messages should be an ongoing theme when you talk with your child. The content and intent should be repeated as an accepted family value. But be sure you encourage and allow for two-way communication. · Remember that you set the example - your child will compare your actions with your words and be guided accordingly. If you choose to drink, never mix drinking with driving or any other activity requiring skill and coordination. If you smoke, it would help you and your child if you could quit. And don't use illegal drugs. Period! · Be creative! You and your child might act our various situations in which someone tries to pressure someone else to take a drug. Figure out two or three ways to handle each situation and talk about which is best. Role-playing is one way to practice decision-making skills. Understanding Reasons Kids Use Drugs Kids may turn to drugs for one or more of these reasons: · for fun · to do what friends are doing · to fit in · to get through the day · to escape pain in their lives · out of boredom · because of curiosity · to take risks · unaware of the effects · because a role model did it How Can I Tell If Someone is Using Drugs? Identifying possible signs of drug use may help prevent further use. Possible signs: · Change in moods (more irritable, secretive, withdrawn, overly sensitive, inappropriately angry) · Less responsible (late coming home, late for school or class, involved in more accidents than usual, dishonest) · Changing friends or changing lifestyles (new interests, unexplained increases in cash) · Difficult to communicate with (refuses to discuss changes in behavior, becomes defensive if asked about drug use) · Shows physical deterioration (memory losses, difficulty in concentration, loss of weight, unhealthy appearance) |