Drug Detox Is Less Likely for Kids Whose Parents Talk to Them
The fact that parents influence their children's alcohol and drug consumption is no secret - kids whose parents talk to them about drugs and alcohol are 42% less likely to turn into drug addicts and alcoholics. In an effort to find out exactly what parents should say to their kids, students on a Texas Superintendent's Advisory Council were asked for their input. Using their suggestions as guidelines, parents could avoid having to get their kids into drug detox and rehab in the future.
What should parents do? Here's the rundown.
Talk to your kids, not just about drugs but in general. Talking to your kids, and letting them talk to you, lets them know you love them and that they're important to you. If a loving relationship is already established, kids will be able to confide in you when they run into trouble.
To educate kids about drugs, show them videos, photos and other information. Don't just lecture. They need graphic representations of what drugs and alcohol do to the body and mind, videos of people talking about life before drug detox and rehab, and life after. As horrible as it may seem, videos and photos of people going through withdrawal can also create quite an impact. Seeing is believing.
One of the suggestions made was to show kids how unnecessary drugs and alcohol are. That can be a tough one - how do you do that? Perhaps one of the best ways is to set a good example yourself. However, that doesn't mean just not drinking and not taking drugs. Parents who are unhappy - who argue, who give each other the cold shoulder, who complain about life and how hard it is, who complain about work, friends, family, husbands, wives and kids are not actually much of a role model. If you want your kids to do as you do, you have to give them something to look forward to. Who wants to be like their parents when they're miserable?
Keep in the discipline: set and enforce curfews and, if your kids are drinking or taking drugs, put the pressure on. And get them into drug detox and rehab fast if it continues.
Bear in mind that the foundation for all of this is a loving home and a relationship with your kids that includes talking, listening and understanding.
There's nothing worse than worrying about whether your kids are safe. And nothing gives you more cause to worry than drugs and alcohol. If your relationship with your kids isn't what it should be, start changing that today. Then educate them about drugs and alcohol. You could prevent the need for rehab or a drug detox program in the future, and you'll all have a much happier life.