Tell Your Kids The Truth About Drugs

Drug addiction does not have to be a difficult subject to talk to children about. The best and most successful approach is to be honest and real with kids. When talking to kids honestly, and being real with them, there will be no need to use scare tactics or threats of any kind. Many parents can remember a time when they were threatened into making a decision; it probably did not make things any easier, nor make them feel good about their decision. If children understand the truth about drugs, and parents also help them understand their position on drugs, they will have more success in getting through to their kids.

In some cases, threats and scare tactics can have the reverse effect; it could possibly make a child want to experiment with drugs and see what it feels like to get high. With any drug it is the lure, or the experience, what is going to happen if I try these drugs, which can attract children to drugs. Another good pointer to help children avoid being attracted to drugs is to make sure there is trust, a mutual trust amongst parents and their children. When parents are talking to their children, they must make them feel safe, and their children should be able to tell them anything. Parents should also want to set a good example, and lead an honest and ethical life. Let their kids know where they stand with drugs; let them see that as parents, they are opposed to drugs. When you set a positive and good example, your children will look up to that.

Like most children, they respond well when parents listen to them. A child might want to tell their parents something about drugs, something they saw, experienced, or even a question about drugs. Listen to what they have to say, and they will feel more trust with their parents. Always make the time to listen to your children; they very well could have something very important to say. Always be honest with your children about drugs, don’t lie to them, exaggerate, or tell tall tales. Stay honest with them, and it will be more real and easier form them to understand. Drugs are made to look good in the media today, and many times drugs are exaggerated beyond belief to offer quick solutions to everyday problems.

All of these steps will help parents achieve a high level of communication with their children, and this is one of the best things that parents can have to prevent their child from ever using drugs. By doing this, the parents are making a mutual agreement on trust; both parents and their children are both agreeing to trust one another.

If you or someone you know is battling a drug or alcohol addiction, call our toll free line at 1-877-782-7409, or visit www.drugaddiction.ca.

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