Tips to Help Keep our Kids Safe
Many of us aren’t aware of how often our children face
difficult issues dealing with drugs, alcohol or tobacco. Over half
of teenagers in the U.S. say they have been offered drugs. Often our kids first hear about
and consider using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs while they are
still in elementary school.
These facts may be shocking, but parents
still have incredible influence on their child’s decision whether
or not to use drugs. The following tips will help you strengthen your child’s ability to avoid
dangerous situations and know what to do when he must decide whether
or not to use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. Following several
tips are links to articles with even more information.
1. Establish and maintain good communication.
Get into the habit of talking with your
child everyday. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, when your
child talks with you, show real concern and interest in what
she’s saying. Ask questions about her hopes, fears, likes and
dislikes. If you establish a close and open relationship with your
child at an early age, it will be easier for her to come to you when
she has a problem.
Talk Early, Talk Often
Good Communication
Answering Tough Questions
2. Help your child feel good about himself.
Give your child lots of praise for
efforts, not just accomplishments. Look for all the good things in
your child and tell him how proud you are of him.
101 Praises for Kids
Improve Your Child's Self-Esteem
Developing your child's
self-esteem
More tips to improve Self-Esteem
3. Help your child develop strong character traits.
Kids who display strong traits of
compassion, respect, responsibility, honesty and
fairness, also believe more in themselves and are more likely to
succeed in school and in life. For more information see
What Kids Need to Succeed.
4. Be a good role model.
Many parents believe that they don’t
hold much influence over their own kids. But most kids say that
their parents are the single greatest factor in choosing not to
smoke, drink or take other drugs. You’re the best role model they
have- your actions often speak louder than words.
Tips for
Role Models Tips
for Parents Who Smoke
5. Teach your child to choose friends wisely.
It’s important that our kids have
friends who are caring, accepting and kind. Teach your children what
being a good friend means so they can be a good friend to others and
also find friends who treat them with respect and compassion.
Dealing with Peer Pressure
The Resistance Skills
6. Make clear rules and enforce them consistently.
Talk with your child often about family
rules and expectations and what the consequences are for breaking
rules. Always be consistent and enforce the rules you’ve set out.
Setting and Enforcing Rules
7. Encourage healthy creative activities.
Encourage your child to be involved in
positive friendships and interests. Look for opportunities where you
and your child can get involved together.
Healthy Activities for
Kids
8. Get involved in your child’s life.
Our kids are much more likely to avoid
dangerous situations when they have caring adults in their lives.
Get involved in your child’s life by participating in his
activities- volunteer in his classroom, bring a snack for the soccer
team, attend her recital or play or help with his science project.
Your participation and encouragement tell your child that these
activities are worthwhile and will encourage him to pursue more
positive activities as he gets older.
How to Get Involved in
Your Child's Life
9. Monitor your child’s activities.
Children are more likely to experiment
with dangerous substances if they spend a lot of their time
unsupervised. When your child goes to a friend’s house, make sure
you know who’s house they’ll be at, whether the parent’s are
home (not just an older brother or sister) and what they’ll be doing.
Monitoring Activities
Media Exposure
10. Know what to do if you suspect a problem.
It’s not always easy to tell if your
child is smoking, drinking or using other drugs. But no child is
immune from substance abuse so it’s important to know what the
warning signs are and what to do if you suspect a problem. The
problem will only become worse if you avoid confronting it.
Warning Signs
What to do if you Suspect a Problem
Where to go for Help
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