Talking with your child early and often about the harms of alcohol and other drugs can help them make healthy choices when confronted with opportunities to experiment with alcohol and other drugs.
Parents are the single greatest influence in a child’s life. They have more influence than they often believe regarding their child’s decision about whether to use alcohol or other drugs.
Do you think your kids don’t listen to you when you speak? A 2003 Roper Youth Report found that 73% of teens said their parents are the most influential factor in whether or not they drink alcohol. Therefore, it is critical that parents talk regularly with their children about the harms of alcohol and other drug use. It is also essential for kids to hear from their parents that drug use is not acceptable in their family, and to understand that their family has rules and consequences about it. Most importantly, children need to be held accountable for their actions.
On the other hand, when children feel uncomfortable talking with their parents or caregivers about issues such as alcohol and other drugs, they’re likely to seek answers to their questions elsewhere, possibly through unreliable sources. If kids are not properly informed, there’s a greater risk that they’re going to engage in risky behaviors.
But just as you inoculate your children against illnesses such as measles, you can help “immunize” them against drug use by communicating the facts before they are presented with opportunities to try alcohol or other drugs.
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