Raising Healthy Kids

Parent-Child Communication Important to Fight Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on August 17th, 2011

In dealing with teens’ alcohol and drugs issues, parents and adults concerned can get a lot of information from the experts and professionals who encounter these problems regularly. Many times, though, it would be helpful for parents to hear ideas and suggestions straight from teens on how to avoid becoming victims of substance abuse.

parent teen talkA key factor in a teen’s decision to get involved with drugs or alcohol is peer pressure. It is therefore vital for teens to choose their friends who will lead them to the right direction. Teens spend a lot of time with friends and they will likely become influences to him. It would be best for parents to know their child’s friends and to meet them. Parents also need to listen to their kids when they talk about their friends.

To keep a teen’s mind off drugs and alcohol, it’s best to be busy most of the time. Teens should learn to participate in school activities, get involved in community projects, or join clubs and organizations which are geared towards self-development and appreciation. Parents must discuss with their children the healthy activities they are interested with, and support the choice of activities their children make.

Remember that as much as possible, parents and children should work together to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In the end, parents will carry the greater responsibility in making sure that kids are on the right track at all times.

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Parental Denial Worsens Teen Substance Abuse Problems

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on August 14th, 2011

When parents confront their teenage kids about a possible substance abuse problem, kids can deny it. Be it drug abuse or binge drinking, teens may never admit they are indeed doing it, which leaves poor parents at lost. After a while, parents may themselves deny that their children are in any danger. They may, in the long run, ignore what is $happening, and only when it’s too late will parents realize they could’ve helped their kids.

parent discussing with teenAny type of substance abuse not only affects the child in trouble, but it has a chain effect on their families. Here are some reasons why parents who deny the situation put the kids on more dangerous grounds.

1. An alcohol or drug addiction that isn’t addressed at the soonest possible time could make a teen more dependent on the substances, making treatment more and more difficult in every day that passes.

2. As parents deny the problem, the problem gets worse. It is important for parents to get their child the right kind of treatment that will help him, and if rehab or detoxification processes be necessary, doctors can easily guide both parent and child to the right path.

3. The worse effect of being intoxicated is death. Kids who drink and drive can get themselves killed due to accidents.

4. Your teen could play around with alcohol and drugs. Mixing these substances and taking too much could easily result to accidental deaths or push their suicidal tendencies.

5. Early drinking and drug abuse situations often lead to more serious problems when teens become adults. Most adults who are into certain addictions often put the blame on their youth where everything started.

6. Teen substance abuse can affect performance in school. It could also put a toll on a teen’s relationships with family and friends.

7. Never consider it to be a normal occurrence when your child gets into drug or alcohol problems because, contrary to what most parents think, it is not a part of teenage life.

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Should Teen Smokers Be Sent to Rehab?

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids, Tobacco Abuse on August 8th, 2011

The Addiction and Substance Abuse arm of the Columbia University has released findings from their study which suggests that teen smoking is related to increasing substance abuse cases among teens. It was found out that teens who smoke are 13 times more likely to develop drug addiction problems and five times more likely to binge drink compared to those who are non-smokers.

teen smokingThe latest study shows that teens 12 to 17 years old who smoke have 26% more chances of becoming drug dependent while non-smokers only have a minimal 2% chance. These findings are quite alarming, as a parallelism can be observed in the data gathered on adults who are in drug rehab facilities. The numbers of drug addicts who are non-smokers are significantly much lower than those who are smokers.

The latest report also includes the increasing rates of heavy drinkers among the adolescent population and that marijuana ranks as the top drug choice of the youth. Again smoking relates to these statistics, with teen smokers 13 times more prone to marijuana use than non-smokers. What these results present is a grim picture of kids who smoke early will also develop other addictions which could lead to serious health conditions later on in their lives.

This is why some concerned groups are suggesting that drug treatment facilities should be offered to teens who smoke. Sure, no one has been into rehab just for smoking cigarettes, but what has been implied in the study should make parents and authorities open up to the idea. Kids who smoke and find it hard to quit should seek help before they go into more complicated situations.

If it means cutting the risks of teen drug abuse and alcohol addiction, then parents should welcome the idea of submitting their teen smokers to drug rehab facilities to give these kids the opportunity to let go of their dangerous habits.

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How to Keep Kids Away from Drugs

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on August 4th, 2011

Many parents face the problem of keeping their kids off from drugs. Drug abuse is one of the biggest issues that families today face, and the saying “prevention is better than cure” still holds true on this matter.

drug-free kidsIt has been seen that involving in sports is one of the best ways to keep kids from drugs and alcohol. Being involved in a team gives your kids the sense of belonging where every member in the team expects nothing but the best from them. Coaches and mentors can motivate kids well to reach their full potential and achieve their goals, keeping their minds off from dangerous habits. Teams also have established rules of conduct which discourage kids to take on drugs or alcohol.

If your child isn’t the active type, you may encourage him to join different organizations or study arts and music. Your child should make the choice as to the group where he’d like to belong; don’t force him into something he’s not interested in. The group’s activities will keep your kids busy, and they won’t have time to experiment with drugs.

Finally, kids as young as 11 years old can be made to take on light jobs for a few hours a day. Whatever free time they have, encourage them to spend it wisely by having part-time jobs for kids. As they get into types of work that they enjoy, they also get paid allowing your kids to learn about the value of hard work. Even if they aren’t earning that much, the good work ethics that they can develop is something that will come in handy as they grow older.

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How to Help Your Teens Deal with Stress

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on July 20th, 2011

Teen stress should not be taken for granted. Parents may sometimes think that it’s just a phase in their teen’s life, but in reality, it is a major reason why kids can go astray. Teens who are not equipped to deal with the different stressors in their lives may develop dangerous behaviors, such as trying drugs.

parent talking to teenParents can help their kids deal with stress by being on the lookout for changes in their child’s health, thoughts, or feelings. Learn stress management skills and teach them to your kids. Always be ready whenever your child needs someone who will listen to them. You can also get your kids involved in recreational activities that will enable them to release the burdens and anxieties that they hold.

There are techniques though that will help teens become more stress-resistant. Having healthy eating habits and regular exercise have been proven to de-stress teens. Aside from the usual physical exercise, meditation and relaxing exercises, like yoga, also helps. In their diet, teens should avoid excessive caffeine intake as this can promote emotions such as anxiety and agitation.

From time to time, teens should learn to break away from stressful situations by having fun with family and friends or by listening to soothing and calming music or by getting into activities that they enjoy doing such as painting or photography. If something is just too big a task, the work can be broken down into smaller and attainable goals to avoid being too pressured and strained.

Finally, parents should teach their kids to feel good about themselves. No matter what the task might be, whether big or small, teens should learn to appreciate what they have accomplished rather than demanding perfection in every task that they do. Teens should always have a positive outlook that will help them become more productive in their lives.

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5 Ways to Detect Teen Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on July 19th, 2011

As parents, you would have to be sensitive and observant about the ways of your teen as he goes through the critical periods of his life.

teen drug abuseThere are times that parents think their kids are into life-threatening substance abuse habits. But for some, they often refuse to look into their teen’s true situation for the sake of not losing “trust” and “privacy” in the family. Parents would often feel they are going beyond the boundaries that define their child’s independence. Due to these apprehensions, teens often go into such activities and sometimes, parent intervention becomes too late.

Once a child is into substance abuse, it’s difficult to deal or fix the situation. This is why a parent’s role should not be taken for granted in helping kids avoid making their own mistakes. Here are some ways that could help parents detect teen substance abuse.

1. Being a parent, you must educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of teen substance abuse. This way, you could easily tell if something is wrong.

2. Get to know your kid’s friends. You will gain much information about what your child is doing through his friends.

3. Check their laundry. It’s a good way of going through your child’s stuff without having the guilt feeling that you do not trust them enough. Be on the lookout for anything left in their pockets and for some abnormal marks on their clothing.

4. Be a friend who’s ready to listen. Make your child feel at ease with you when he talks about his problems and the things that disturb him.

5. Do you know that a simple hug can open the window in determining your child’s troubles? Yes, when you do give them a hug, you can smell and feel if your child just smoked or took certain drugs.

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