KIDS AND ALCOHOL

When is it time to talk to your kids about alcohol and other drugs?
Imagine your son is starting middle school next week, your
freshman daughter is dating a senior and your twins are off to
college. All are facing stressful situations and will encounter peer
pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol. If any of these
scenarios fit, now is the time to talk to your children about alcohol
and drug use.

While the conversation may be different depending on your child's
maturity, it is important to remember that your child is listening
even when they don't show it. You play an important role in preventing
their chances of future substance use. Children are more likely to
listen at an early age but it is never too late to start the
conversation.

The National Youth Anti-Drug media campaign, "Parents â?" the
Anti-Drug," reports that 74 percent of fourth graders said they wished
their parent would talk to them about drugs. Parents or caregivers who
talk to their children about alcohol and drug use have kids who are
"36 percent less likely to smoke marijuana, 50 percent less likely to
use inhalants, 56 percent less likely to use cocaine and 65 percent
less likely to use LSD."

When talking to your children, you need to provide them with
information that is both appropriate to their level of understanding
and factually accurate. These are emotionally-charged issues and
require the right setting for you to encourage your child to talk.

It is important for you to listen, without forming judgments as you
are establishing the foundations for future communication. Help your
child struggle with the questions and form their own opinions.

Young people are less likely to use tobacco and other drugs if their
parents make clear rules, consistently apply consequences and reward
positive behavior. Knowing what your child is doing reduces the
chance of him or her becoming involved with drugs and peers who use
drugs. Including your child in creating the rules and consequences,
planning what your child will do if a situation involves alcohol or
other drugs, asking where your child is going and knowing if parental
supervision will be present are additional ways to reduce the chances
of drug and alcohol use.

In spite of all the best prevention, the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health reports, "25 percent of 6th graders admit to being drunk
at least once, nearly 4 percent of 8th graders have used cocaine and
16 percent say heroin is easy to obtain."

The American Council for Drug Education reports "two-thirds of eighth
graders use alcohol and more than two million teens drink enough to be
called 'heavy' drinkers."

The challenge for parents is to see the early signs and intervene
quickly. If you notice changes in your child's behavior, sleeping
patterns, choice of friends, acting-out and lack of interest in
school, friends and activities, it will be important for you to calmly
talk to your child and get the help your child needs. You may want to
seek consultation from a substance abuse professional to assist you in
connecting your child to needed services. Too often we hear parents
say, "I missed the signs, I just couldn't believe my child had a
substance abuse problem."

Specialized treatment for adolescents and children must address
adolescents' unique cognitive, emotional, physical, social and moral
development. The treatment needs to be tailored to the age and
maturity of the child and include opportunities for a complete
assessment, individual and family counseling, education and peer group
therapy. Denial is a predictor of continued use, treatment is the
best hope for recovery.

Communication is the best avenue to preventing your child future drug
and alcohol use. Start paving the road this fall.