Children experimenting with drugs — what to do?
Picture this, a bag of marijuana falls out of the pocket of your son or daughter. Or perhaps you hear from an acquaintance that s/he saw your son or daughter come out of a place where drugs are sold. Most parents' first reaction is to panic. That is understandable, but as you know panic is a bad advisor. When your child is experimenting with whatever substance, it is important to discuss about that. It is the only way to find out how important the substance is for your child, so that you can judge whether your child is running risks or not. If you forbid right away, your child will feel that s/he needs to hide something, which increases the risk that s/he will experiment out of your reach. Keep the conversation open and that will lead to a better mutual comprehension and strengthen your contact so that you can let go of your child with a better feeling. Make sure in your conversation that you know enough and are up-to-date so that you are not stuck for an answer. It also prevents you from worrying for nothing. Don't try to force the conversation; a good conversation can only happen if both parties are open to it. Give your opinion but don't scare your child. Forbidding only is counterproductive. Keep in mind the fact that youngsters are curious by nature. In fact, curiosity is very important for their development. Experimentation and curiosity go hand in hand. Hence, they tend to experiment with different substances including stimulants. However, a beer at a young age does not make one an alcoholic. It is important that parents make rules for the children and put some limits. This is an important way through which children learn discipline themselves in the future. Youngsters need parents to set limits for them. Rules give your child something to hold on to and feel that his or her parents are interested. Finally, it is important to help the children deal with boredom in a healthy manner. Boredom is one of the things that leads youngsters to start using stimulants. Help your child in making a routine and try to get him engaged in as many activities as possible. Get involved in his life and inspire him to take up new hobbies, sports, and increased contact with youngsters of the same age. It is a great idea for the parents to plan some family activities with the child.
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