• Drug & Alcohol Treatment
  • Alcohol Rehab
  • Crystal Meth Rehab
  • Drug Rehab
  • Cocaine Rehab
  • Heroin Rehab
  • Hydrocodone Rehab
  • Marijuana Rehab
  • Opiate Rehab
  • OxyCodone Rehab
  • Prescription Drug Rehab
  • Drug Overdose
• Detox
  • Alcohol Detox
  • Cocaine Detox
  • Crystal Meth Detox
  • Heroin Detox
  • Marijuana Detox
  • OxyContin Detox
  • Vicodin Detox
• Dual Diagnosis
  • Co-Occurring Disorders
• Services
  • Residential Treatment & Detox
  • Top 3 Drug Addiction Treatment Services
• Admissions
  • Admission Criteria
  • Admission Process
  • Client Schedule
  • Start the Admission Process
  • What to Bring
  • Testimonials

Fifty years ago, a frank talk about “the birds and the bees” was the hardest topic parents ever had to discuss with their children. Oh, how times have changed. Kids today commonly face temptation in the form of drugs and alcohol. The damage underage drinking or drug taking can do to the development of a young person is considerable – which makes talking to your kids about substance abuse more important than ever. Before your child develops a substance abuse problem or worse, a full on drug addiction, consider the following information:

Tips for Talking to Kids about Substance Abuse

Start early. It is a common misconception that parents need to wait until their child is in her mid-to-late teens before they are ready to hear the truth about substance abuse. The cold reality, however, is that by the time they are that old, they have likely already experimented with a number of drugs and have begun to form habits and opinions all their own. The best strategy for parents is to introduce the concept that “drugs are dangerous” from a very young age -and fill in more of the detail as they become age appropriate.

Be honest. While the temptation is there to spin wild, scary stories to your kids about substance abuse, it is absolutely imperative that you remain honest with them about the consequences of their action. Frankly, the potential consequences are frightening enough. But if your kids go forth into the world and find that the information you gave them isn’t true, they may begin to doubt the validity of everything you told them about drugs.

Set a good example. If you use drugs, how can you expect your children to make good decisions? One of the best things that a parent can do to help educate their kids about substance abuse is to not imbibe themselves. Although some days it seems like kids will do anything to push back against their parents, the fact is that they look up to you! You set the example by which they will live their lives.

Be firm. There is no middle-ground when it comes to taking a stance on substance abuse. As a parent, if you take a “wait-and-see if it happens again” attitude, you are opening the door for trouble. If you catch your child using drugs it is important that there are serious consequences to their actions. This is no time for leniency -be fair but firm in your punishment.

Michael’s House is a residential addiction treatment facility located in Palm Springs, California. The counselors and medical professionals at Michael’s House understand the unique needs of young people and can help provide customized care that is nothing short of life-saving. Contact Michael’s House today at 1-877-345-8494 for more information.