DRUG PREVENTION BEGINS AT HOME

The Drug Information Seminar Held Last Week at the L.P. Miller School
Seemed to Open a Lot of Parents' Eyes As They Realized That Drugs Are in
Our Community.

Nipawin Journal -- Drug prevention begins at home

Do you know where your children are?

Do you know who they are hanging out with?

If you don't, why not?

The drug information seminar held last week at the L.P. Miller School
seemed to open a lot of parents' eyes as they realized that drugs are in
our community.

The main theme of the presentation was that drug prevention begins at home.

The message was clear that parents need to know what their kids are doing,
who they are hanging out with and even what's in his/her room.

Take time to listen to your kids, speakers Jerome Engele and Patti
Sebestyen told the adults in attendance at the drug information seminar
held last week at L.P. Miller.

It is so important that we know these things about our children and this is
the best method of drug prevention.

Let your children know that they can talk to you about anything. Let them
know that you are there for them and that you love them.

Kids grow up so fast. I have three young children and they won't be young
for long. Any parent can attest to the fact that children grow up fast and
before too long, they are graduating and moving away from home.

Take time out to spend with your kids. As adults we can find many things to
do. There are lots of activities - sports, clubs, organizations that we can
find to keep busy, but if you don't take time out to be with your children,
they will lose the confidence and trust in you as a parent. Be their best
friend and let them know that they are extremely important to you.
Important enough to take time out of your usual busy schedule to spend time
with them.

Your kids may dislike you at the time for grilling their
boyfriend/girlfriend before they go out; or being their chaperone at a
dance or other activities, but they will realize 'eventually' that you are
only doing this because you care about them.

If you don't do these things, you will lose control of your kids and they
will turn to drugs, sex, etc. to feel accepted.

Take a night out, or more, each week to be with your children, no matter
what their age, during this busy time of year - take them to a movie, play
ball with them, fly a kite, go to a restaurant, have a games' night at
home. Do something, anything to let them know that they are important and a
high priority in your life.

This is reality, drugs are a reality and drug use is prevalent in our town
and most other towns and cities in the province. If you think that your
kids aren't the kind that will never use drugs. Think again!

Drug dealers do not care who you are, what position a person holds or what
your reputation is. Drugs are not 'class specific', 'race specific' or 'age
specific'. Anyone can get hooked at anytime and sometimes it just takes one
toke, one pill, one needle, to get dependent on a drug.

It is our job as parents to make sure that we do everything to protect our
children and to make sure that we know what our kids are up to.

Remember that drug prevention and even crime prevention, begins at home. Do
what you need to do.