8. Head Off Drug Abuse Before the Teenaged Years

In this modern world, expect drug influences to start very young. Parents may wait until children are in their teens to start talking about drugs but many children will already have begun substance abuse by this time.

It is tragic that this rule even needs to be written. But in today’s world, waiting until the teenaged years to talk about drugs is far too late. By this age, if a youth has not started abusing drugs or drinking, he has probably seen people stoned, drunk or high and has watched drug abuse at school, parties, at home. He has seen drug and alcohol abuse in movies and on television and has heard about his sports or music heroes going to rehab. Drugs are unfortunately part of young children’s lives and this was probably not as true for today’s parents when they were the same age.

Most parents do not feel fully prepared to cover the subject thoroughly with their children. They may need to educate themselves on the types of drugs the children are being exposed to. There are many new drugs on the market and many youth also abuse prescription drugs or a combination of prescription drugs. Drinking is common among high school students as well.

How to do it wrong: Gather your children up and announce that you expect them not to use any drugs. Talk about alcohol and marijuana only. Warn them that they will be grounded for an extended period if they are found to be using any drugs and leave it at that.

How to do it right: Do your homework. Learn what drugs today’s youth are being offered or seeing other people use. You can find detailed reports on their exposure in the annual Monitoring the Future report (http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/).

To learn more about the drugs they are being offered, using or seeing others use, visit the drug education resources on the Narconon International website: Drug Information.

Narconon drug education classes start as early as first and second grade. It is recommended that you begin to proof your children against drug abuse at this very early age. Of course you will have to scale your message to the age of the children you are talking to, keeping things very simple and basic in the early lessons.

In an age-appropriate manner, start talking to your children individually or together, as you feel would work best with their personalities. Let them know that you will help them understand the dangers involved in alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs and this will be done in short meetings held over a period of time. In each meeting, provide a short lesson on the harm that can be done by alcohol and/or other drugs. Gradually educate your children on the different drugs they will hear about and why each one is dangerous. Explain what you have learned about why people start using alcohol and drugs. Encourage them to ask questions, and if you think your children are old enough, ask them if they have ever seen anyone using that drug. Refrain from criticizing them for their observations. Try to make this a safe time to bring up things they are curious about.