How to Talk to Your Kids About Saying No to Drugs

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Family Friend

A big number of parents have a hard time talking to their children about drugs, partly because it is one of those off-putting topics that some parents try to shield their children from. However, it is a topic that must be discussed so that kids can learn how to avoid them.

A delicate topic such as illegal drugs must be talked about continuously as a dialogue while the child is growing up. Talking about it early can make the child be better equipped to handle the situation when it arises.

Grab every chance to talk about drugs such as a movie or news item with drug usage. Be truthful about the effects of drugs. If possible, show pictures or documentaries about the effects of drug abuse especially when they are adolescents. An early aversion to drugs may help kids firmly say no to drugs later on in life.

Since this is a continuous dialog, parents must also listen to what the kids have to say on this matter. Hearing the kids out will show how much the parents value their thoughts and feelings, no matter how trivial or misguided it may be.

Parents must also be unmistakable in their rule of no drug usage ever. When kids understand that parents mean business, they will be more likely to think twice before taking illegal drugs.

Parents can also help their kids say no by doing role-playing at home. By anticipating possible situations which can lead their kids to drug use, parents can teach the kids how to say no. A simple “no thanks” or a more forceful “forget it” can be easier said once it has been practiced over and over again.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Dangers of Drinking and Driving

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Family Friend

In America today, the leading cause of death among teenagers is alcohol-related accidents. These accidents are results of the fatal mix of having not much driving experience coupled with the likelihood of over-indulging in alcohol.

In order to avoid such accidents, parents must talk to their children about the dangers of drinking and driving for it is only through talking about it will the kids understand the gravity of such issue.

First, parents must establish an open line of communication with their children. By earning their children’s trust, the parents can easily talk to their children about any topic and vice-versa.

Once the line has been established, let your kids express their feelings on drinking and driving. It is important that the child must be understood first, before imparting your own beliefs on it. It is also crucial to not be judgmental so that your kids can open up to you. By listening to your kids, it shows how much you care for their well-being.

It can also help if you and your child can watch a documentary about the dangers of drinking and driving. Watching such programs, which feature true-to-life stories of teenagers whose lives were destroyed because of drunk driving, will be a learning experience for your child. Discussing afterwards the video you have seen will make you connect even more to your child.

Finally, if your child cannot avoid being in a situation with alcohol at hand, inform your child on tips how to handle it. He must designate a driver who must not consume alcohol or call you or an adult who can take him home.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Dangers of Smoking

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Family Friend

Studies reveal that every day, around 3,000 young Americans below 18 start smoking cigarettes. This is quite alarming despite the many anti-smoking laws that are in place and less social tolerance for smoking. Kids seem not to be getting the idea that smoking is bad. It is up to the parents to drive home to these kids that smoking is dangerous.

Start the talk about the dangers of smoking early on in your child’s life. Since parents exert a great influence in their children, always speak up about your beliefs regarding smoking. Inform them how grave the addiction to nicotine is and teach them about the risks linked with smoking.

If possible, get them used to have a strong aversion for smoking. The earlier you turn your children away from smoking, the better their likelihood will be of avoiding it altogether.

Be upfront about the risks involved in smoking. Smoking is the chief cause of avoidable deaths in the United States. Smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, and lung disease, as well as nicotine addiction. If someone you know died of smoking-related illness, let your kids know the truth.

Establish simple yet strong rules against smoking and your reasons for them. Prepare them for situations that may lead to smoking by running through possible scenarios. If possible, do a role-playing game. Suggest ways for them to say no without losing their friends.  In this way, it can help safeguard your kids from these nasty habits.

Finally, let your children know that you are always there for them no matter what. By letting them know that they are secure, they are more likely to seek your help to deal with tricky issues such as cigarette smoking.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Risks of Underage Drinking

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Family Friend

These days, a considerable number of children in America start drinking by the time they reach middle school. Moreover, studies show that 50% of 8th graders have tried drinking alcohol.

There are various reasons for kids to try drinking alcohol such as risk-taking, peer pressure, high tolerance to alcohol, and hereditary factors. Parents must make a stand on underage drinking before it is too late. And the best way to avoid underage drinking is talking about it to their kids.

Parents have a strong influence on their children, no matter how the outside world bombards them with games, television shows, music, and magazines. Children are quite attuned to their parents, in their words and actions. Therefore, the first line of defense against underage drinking is to build an open line of communication with your kids.

This line of communication is developed through trust and constant involvement in your child’s life. When a child feels safe and comfortable to talk to his parent, his concerns, whether big or small, may be answered without fear of being ridiculed or scolded.

Discussing underage drinking is not a one-time big lecture, but rather small talks that can be incorporated in the child’s daily life. For instance, if your child sees actors getting wasted in a TV show, ask your child how he feels about it. Keep an open mind while your child discusses his feelings. Talk about your own values with your child. Imparting your values and family history around alcohol will form an atmosphere of trust and understanding.

Afterwards, you may share inputs on the risk of underage drinking. Keep it simple enough for the child to understand. Talking about it will let the child know that you care.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Managing Peer Pressure

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Family Friend

Peer pressure may be a key damaging factor in the lives of children and adolescents, that could lead to disastrous results like their trying and abusing tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs.

However, parents have a powerful influence on their children that may offset such negative peer pressure. Parents must teach their children how to deal with peer pressure and the best way to do it is to regularly talk with the kids. By keeping an open line of communication, kids can run to their parents for advice when they feel that peer pressure can be too great.

Parents may set clear ground rules to guide the children of what is acceptable or not. For instance, parents can guide their kids on what type of people to befriend, the types who can bring a positive influence in their lives and avoid peers who like to lie, steal, or smoke. It will be easier to deal with peer pressure when the child has friends with values parallel to his who will back him up when he does not want to do something.

Parents can also engage their children in role-playing so that the child is prepared to handle difficult situations. Helping children be at ease with what they can say during such situations goes a long way. For example, an outgoing child may choose to say “Forget it” while a shy child may say “No thanks” when faced with an offer to cut class or smoke cigarettes.

Finally, parents must always give positive encouragement and praises to their children so that the kids can develop a strong self-esteem. Kids who have a strong self-esteem can confidently make decisions even if others find it not cool.

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How to Talk to Siblings of Kids with Special Needs

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Family Friend

Parents usually give more attention to children with special needs. This is why there are times when other children become confused or even jealous with the attention that their sibling is receiving.

As early as possible, parents should explain the whole situation to the other kids. This should be done often too as children’s reactions and understanding change over time as they continue to grow.  Talk to them about their sibling’s disability and give them insights on what to expect from their brother or sister. You also need to inform them about their sibling’s strengths and weaknesses.

Be sure that you give age-appropriate information to your children. Each stage in a child’s life is different, and their emotional and mental capacity for understanding will depend on which stage they are in.

As parents, be sure that you spend quality time not only with your special child but as well as with your other children. Encourage your other children to develop relationships outside the family. Teach them how to make friends with others, and if they should ever worry about how their friends would react to their special sibling, practice how they should explain their sibling’s condition by role-playing or through possible conversations that could happen outside of the house.

Always find opportunities to complement your children in their efforts to help or take care of their sibling’s special needs. Don’t’ forget, though, to allow other children to have their own time and space to do what they want.

Finally, keep communication lines open with your children. Once in a while, you may schedule periods for family discussions, where your children can say something or ask questions about their special sibling. This will give you the opportunity to clear things for them, and address whatever it is that may be bothering them.

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How to Talk to Kids About Sibling Rivalry

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Family Friend

Sibling rivalry is just one of the many issues that a family may encounter. There are times that brothers and sisters compete, fight, and get jealous with one another. This situation can be very stressful to parents and to the family as a whole. There are many ways that parents can promote positivity in the family and have children that go along well with each other.

The most important thing that parents should avoid is to play favorites. Never compare one child to the other, as each has his own abilities. Let them know that you love them and that you are equally proud of them. Teach your children to appreciate one another to create a solid bond among them as brothers and sisters.

As much as possible, set aside a few minutes each day for a one-on-one talk with each of your kids. This is the best time to ask each child about his brothers or sisters and what he likes and don’t like about them. Listen to your child and address his concerns immediately. Let him know that all of them are special, each in their own unique ways.

If conflicts should arise between your kids, help them cope with their differences by teaching them how to compromise and to respect each other. In the long run, kids will develop the confidence and the skills to resolve any conflict they could have in the future.

Set house rules with regards to quarreling, and be a role model to your kids. Give appropriate warnings, such as counting up to three, whenever a fight or conflict is brewing among the children. Remind them of the consequences once they become violent towards each another. When you are the one in conflict with another member of the family, it’s best to always model good ways to resolve the problem.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Contraception

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Family Friend

It can be very awkward for both parent and child, but there has to be a time when the talk about safe sex should be done. In today’s modern world, sex has become a casual thing not only for adults, but for teens and young adults as well. In fact, in the United States alone, about 60% of high school students and 85% of the mid-20’s population admit to having sexual experiences. This may be the reason why 50% of new HIV cases come from among those in the 15-to-24 year old age brackets.

So as a parent, how do you go about the talk on safe sex and contraception to your kids?

1.  Always assume that your child does not know anything about contraception. These things aren’t taught in schools, and any idea they may have might be from unreliable and erroneous sources. It would be best to start with the basics of contraception and the importance of being protected in intimate moments.

2. You can still have this talk even if your kids haven’t engaged in such activities yet. Stress the advantages of abstinence, while making sure you don’t confuse them when you talk about contraceptives. Instill in your children’s minds that if the time comes that they do get into the sexual act with a partner, always use protection to avoid unwanted consequences.

3. Express your hopes and expectations to your kids. Tell them that as much as possible, you would not want them to be sexually active at such young ages. As the wiser adult, teach them to wait for the right time when they are mature enough to appreciate the sexual act.

4. You need to clarify that sexual health is not only about condoms or birth control but that it also means staying healthy as an individual and living a full life. If the temptation proves too powerful to resist for your teens, you can seek the help of health care providers to educate children and introduce them to protective measures that will keep them safe and healthy.

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How to Talk to Kids About Study Drugs

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Family Friend

It has come to the attention of school authorities and parents that more and more students, especially college kids, are abusing ADHD medications to help them improve their scholastic performance. A constant rise on the use of what is known as “study drugs” are being uncovered, and many young users don’t see the dangers that come along with this type of drug abuse.

If you’re a parent and you have kids in high school or in college, you must be in the know of how these ADHD drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are being misused by some students. While these drugs may provide the “study boost” that students need, they often have more damaging effects to an individual’s psychological stability.

This is why you have to talk to your kids about this. Tell your kids that these “study drugs” can be addictive and they could easily develop dependence for these substances.

Another crucial matter that you could open up to your kids is the fact that while ADHD drugs may give them the ability to concentrate and learn more at the moment, they will encounter problems in handling their moods, thinking, and in their psychological functionality in the long-run.

Adderall, for instance, can result to headaches, stomach problems, and jitters. Worst case scenario is when a student develops psychosis, a mental state where a person is no longer in touch with reality.

Finally, inform your kids that taking these substances without proper prescription is not permitted by the law, and that they could face serious legal consequences if they get involved in the trade of these drugs. It’s best to emphasize the importance of time management and discipline in studying. Encourage your kids to develop good study habits to cope with school requirements. In the end, appreciate how your kids are working hard to perform better in school, and let them know you value their perseverance and understand their limitations.

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How to Talk to Your Kids About Having a New Partner

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Family Friend

When you find a new person to love after a divorce, introducing your new partner to your kids will never be easy. There are some points that you have to remember and actions that you need to take to make your children accept that you now have someone new in your life.

1. When you find the best time to let your kids meet your new partner, keep it slow and casual especially in introducing him or her to them. Tell them that you’ve found a new boyfriend or girlfriend, but never say that he or she is a replacement for their father or mother.

2. Explain the situation to your kids and listen to what they have to say. You would need to assure them that having a new person in your life does not mean that you’ll love them less. Whatever problems and questions they may have with your new set-up, be sure to address them immediately.

3. Let your kids know that you don’t expect them to instantly like your new partner. Tell them you understand how they feel and that you’re willing to wait for the time when they can truly embrace this new person in your life. Showing your kids that you’re happy with your new relationship will certainly make them think that the family will likewise be happy with him or her in your lives.

4. Sleeping over could become a big issue among your children, so it would be better if your children can see your new partner in quite a number of occasions first before you take it to the next level. If that time comes, be honest to your kids and tell them that you’re allowing him or her to sleep in your house. Be around during mealtime in your house, rather than coming in late when kids have gone to bed already.

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