Teen Drug Abuse Prevention Starts With Parents (part I)
For those of you that are new to my blog, I think it’s important for you to realize why I started the UnderstandMyTeen.com website. My childhood friend (I will call him “Rob” throughout this website) died due to a drug use incident a few years ago. Burying Rob really changed my life and I feel the need to help parents of teens better relate to their teens to avoid tragedies like this from happening ever again.
What You’ll Learn in This Article
- Things to know about current teen drug culture
- How to start that awkward conversation with your teen about not doing drugs
- How to talk to your teen about the dangers of drugs
- How to know if your teen is using drugs
- How to help your teen quit using drugs…they need you to help, not yell
This posting is part I of a multiple part posting that I’m writing about teen drug abuse prevention and how parents can help their teens. During this multiple posting topic, you’ll learn about many powerful concepts when trying to make sure your teen isn’t getting involved in the dangers world of drugs.
What is Teenage Life Like These Days?
Drugs are very available to teens these days…I’d argue that they’re more available then in decades past, although I wasn’t there during those decades so I can’t really push for that argument. However, I can relate to the current teenage world because I am here for that…So I’d like to tell you about the reality of teen life.
- drugs are available and easy to get for your teen
- lots of teens have an ‘acceptance’ of drugs as being ‘ok’
- it’s up to you as a parent to teach your kids about the danger of drug use
How Should You Start the Awkward Conversation of Talking to Your Teen About Drugs?
I realize that having a conversation about a touchy subject like drugs is hard for any teen and parent. However, it’s a conversation that needs to happen…it’s important that your teen realize the dangers of drug use and how it can tear lives apart.
Having a productive and effective conversation about drugs with your teen is very important. I would suggest ‘breaking the ice’ by having some comedic or funny beginning to the conversation.
- show the teen a funny video or movie scene related to drugs
- tell the teen a story you heard about someone doing something ridiculous when they were ‘high’
- think of any way to make the conversation start off as funny…this will help your teen open up to you.
Understand that I’m not trying to suggest that drug use is funny…not at all! Instead, I’m telling you how to strategically start a conversation about this touchy subject with your teen so that they’ll actually listen to you.
If the conversation starts off awkward, your teen will shut off to you and simply hope the conversation is over as soon as possible…that’s not a good or effective conversation at all.
How Should You Actually Talk to Your Teen About the Dangers of Drugs
After you’ve had the chance to ‘break the ice’ by starting off the conversation in some sort of funny way, it’s time to get down to business: you need to talk to you teen about the realities of drugs. I suggest doing a few strategic things to make the conversation progress.
- Be on the same level with your teen: it’s important that you make clear that you realize that drugs are available in the teenage world. Make clear to your teen that you’re not being ignorant and claiming that drugs aren’t around…my kid hasn’t seen drugs before…my kid doesn’t have the chance to try drugs.
Tell your teen that you know drugs are around them in their teenage environment
and that you just want to help
- Tell them that you’re not trying to get them in trouble: They key to having a productive relationship between a parent and a teen is for the teen to feel comfortable talking to their parent about anything. For your teen to feel this way, they need to know they’re not going to get into trouble for telling you that “Tommy offered me pot today…I didn’t really know how to respond’.
Make clear that you want to help your teen
not get them grounded or yelled at.
- Get your teen talking, ask questions, and truly listen: It’s important for you to encourage your teen to talk to you during this conversation. Do Not Lecture Your Teen! Parental lecturing is the easiest way to guarantee that your teen isn’t listening to you.
Your goal should be for the teen to do all the talking
and for you to do all the listening
Want to Learn More?
I will continue this posting in a few days but you can read all the details you need to know to help prevent your teen from doing drugs by reading my ebook. In the ebook, I go into much more detail then in this blog posting.
- actual videos you can use to ‘break the ice’ with your teen and to make them laugh
- other article references that are highly useful information. For example, learn all the secrets of how your teen might be hiding marijuana in your own home.
- ways to productively help your teen avoid or stop using drugs. These are solutions that work! Instead of yelling at your teen and grounding them, do something that will really help them and not simply make them less willing to talk to you about their troubles.
You can read the entire ebook by clicking here. I hope that you will take the time to download the ebook and read it so that you can better relate to your teen. It’s my goal with this entire project to help you better relate to your teen so that you can be a better parent. I truly feel that this ebook will help you to make your teen truly understand the dangers of drugs.
Preventing teen drug abuse really does start with the parent…I hope my info helps.
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Tags: drug abuse, teen death, teen drug abuse, teen drug death
Hi Jonathan,
I think it’s incredibly admirable that as a result of a tragic event you’re now reaching out to help parents and teens. Lord knows, any parent with a teen who is abusing or addicted to drugs needs all the help they can get. I know. I’m one of them.
I started my blog for the same reason…to help parents and through them, their teens, to avoid the pain my son and I have been going through as a result of his drug abuse/addiction.
You are absolutely right that drugs are much more readily available now than ever. While there were some drugs available when I was in high school in the early 80’s, it was nothing like it is now. These days kids have easy access to anything and everything from alcohol to meth and prescription drugs.
I look forward to reading more of your posts. As a young adult you have a unique insight that will be valuable to others.
Warmly,
anymom