Children born to drug-addicted parents may suffer from health conditions. Parents who are addicted to illegal substances are also at the risk of severing a relationship, as well as guardianship, with their children. Parental drugs and alcohol addiction is even a form of child abuse.
When your kids are in their preteen years is the ideal time to talk to them about drugs and alcohol. According to research, many kids start drinking and using alcohol as young as 15. When you are having your talk, there are a few points that you should definitely try to make.
The Process of Addiction:
Discuss the process of how one becomes addicted to drugs with your teens. If they understand how someone becomes addicted to drugs, they will be more likely to see the signs and avoid them. Talk about gate away drugs like marijuana, cigarette and alcohol. They may seem like they’re not so bad at first, but they can lead a weak-minded individual to try for an even more-intense and harder drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. Tell your teen how trying drugs seems innocent enough at first, but as you continue to take them in small amounts, your body starts to want more and more to achieve the same high. The drug use increases until it finally turns into an addiction that could be impossible to shake off without rehabilitation.
Negative Effects of Drugs on Them:
Tell your kids what happens to the body when someone takes drugs. Start with the three very common teen drugs: marijuana, alcohol and cigarette. When marijuana is smoked, it enters the blood stream and is carried to the brain. The molecules attach themselves to the brain’s neurons and impede communication between the neurons. Marijuana also can lead to memory loss. Crystal meth causes brain damage in the form of inflammation and permanent memory loss, similar to early onset Alzheimer’s.
Negative Effects of Alcohol:
Young people are more prone to binge drinking because they don’t understand the serious effects of alcohol. If a preteen or teen consumes large amounts of alcohol, it can damage his liver and pancreas. Alcohol abuse impairs a teen’s judgment. “Don’t drink & drive” is a common word in Nigeria. Also, poor judgement which could cause him to make bad or embarrassing decisions that can’t be taken back. It also causes slurred speech and disorientation. Make sure that your teen knows that someone can die from consuming too much alcohol (alcohol poisoning).
Open-Door Policy:
After having your talk with your preteen about drugs and alcohol, let me remind us of something important; some pre-teens are able to handle a good deal of responsibility. So, it’s important that you stress to him that you are available for talks whenever he wants. You have to talk to your kids as if they are human beings, not simple-minded children. Do not judge them, have logical talks with them.
Parents, teach your children social skills and assertiveness. Giving the child the tools and the confidence to resist peer pressure is one of the most effective ways of preventing drugs and alcohol abuse. Educate the young and prepare them for useful lives, toward a more fulfilling future, free of drugs.
Be the best you can be. Be drug free.
Don’t do drugs.