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Parents key to keeping kids from using drugs, alcohol Teens are prone to experiment with alcohol and drugs. The best ways for parents to keep kids from using or abusing drugs and alcohol are to keep the lines of communication open and set a good example, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. That's also the message that Peter Rogers, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, gives these days to his patients' parents. He ought to know. After recovering from an alcohol and pill addiction, the Ohio pediatrician has spent more than two decades helping adolescents kick similar addictions. About 4000 young people under age 21 will die annually because of alcohol misuse alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All parents face the worry that their child may fall prey to drug or alcohol abuse. What can be done to prevent it from happening? Parents should look to themselves first to provide a good example, suggests the Academy. Kids watch how parents handle stress. They hear it when dad comes home and says, "Boy, I need a drink." They know when mom takes a pill to sleep or relax. Instead, parents should make it clear that the family does not approve of drinking or drugs, the Academy says. Other things parents can do:
Finally, parents should have a "rescue plan" in place for their kids, suggests Dr. Rogers. If they have had too much to drink or are with someone who is going to drive and has been drinking or using drugs, let your children know that they can call you and you will come pick them up with no questions asked. -Deborah Johnson |