If you have children, it's very important to make sure that your kids are educated on the dangers of drugs and consequences of drug abuse. This can be a difficult subject to approach so we've put together a list of tips that can help you with the process.
Educating Your Children
If you need confidence and valuable ways to talk with your children about drug abuse, then here are some helpful suggestions and technique you can use:
Get Educated
Before you attempt to educate your children on the dangers of drugs, we suggest that you get very education yourself. This way they will take you more seriously and you can offer facts and decision making skills. Being knowledgeable also allows you to feel confident to handle their questions. Some parents like having a law enforcement officer come to the house to help educate their children from personal experience.
You can also do research together with your children. This allows you to learn together and have an open discussion. Taking an online drug awareness class together is a great way to approach this.
Use Examples and Photos to Make it Visual
To stress the point of how dangerous drugs can be, we recommend using specific imagery and stories to highlight the harms and dangers of drug use. Without needing to be overly graphic, choose images and stories that they can relate to and can react to. This helps them see the negative side of drug use.
Ask Questions
To make sure your children are completely understanding the dangers of drugs, get them thinking by asking questions. You don’t need to quiz them, but make sure that they've been able to digest what you've taught them. Allow them to ask questions too. This keeps them engaged and involved in the learning process. If you see their eyes glaze over, stop your approach and say something. Ask what is going on in their minds and address that issue. The more connection they feel towards you, the better they will be at making wise choices.
Be Open and Honest
When it comes to educating your children on drugs, be open and honest. This doesn't mean you need to disclose every drug you've tried but be honest about your concerns and fears. Be honest about your expectations and most of all, allow them to be honest with you about their perspective.
