Parenting 101

Lesson 7: Dealing With Today's Tough Issues

Drugs: How To Send The Right Message

Children get all kinds of drug messages through the media, school, friends, and most importantly from you. As with all the other lessons they learn from watching you, how you treat alcohol and drugs tells them a lot. How many times has your child watched you grab the ibuprofen or Tylenol for a headache or other discomfort? How much medication are they given? When you look at it this way, you can see how easy it is to sell the idea of a pill for every pain mentality, so prevalent in America today.

When we watch TV, I always try and say something like “Gee, a little more exercise or cutting out some extra fats might help more than taking a pill to lose weight” or, “I bet a glass of warm milk would help more than a pill for falling asleep.” This gives the children an alternative way of seeking relief from discomfort. I rarely dispense medication in my home. The boys are encouraged to try other means first when dealing with discomfort. A warm shower, a nap, or a backrub often work just as well. Then, when they truly need medication, it works much better. It has also taught them another important lesson: over the counter medications are potent and are to be treated with respect.

Because I have both systemic lupus and Crohns Disease, I am extremely careful about my drug intake. My children have seen me look for and try alternative treatments, rather than ingest the huge amounts of medications usually needed for these disorders. This is an important part of their ongoing education about drugs.

Parents need to arm themselves with a huge amount of information about drugs, including what they are, what they look like, and their names. Use television as a tool and topic of discussion when a relevant program is on. Their are wonderful resources for parents on the internet. I will list some for you in the links section. They can be a great help in educating your children.

If you have established an easy flow of communication in your home, talking with your children early and often shouldn’t be difficult. This is one of the areas where a parent is required to be very proactive. Get your children involved in community anti-drug programs. Let them know you are always ready to answer questions or listen to concerns about this subject. Empower your children. Give them the tools to just say no to drugs.

How have you discussed drugs with your children?

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