Age-by Age: A Parents Guide
for Helping Children
Stay Drug Free
Information supplied by Waukesha Memorial Hospital
Helping children stay drug-free is a task that begins in kindergarten and continues throughout, and even beyond, a child's teen years. What specifically can parents do to help children stay clear of drugs and alcohol? Plenty.
Research has shown that children are most vulnerable during transition periods, such as entering middle or high school. Most children who use drugs first begin to do so at age 12 or 13, often moving from the illicit use of legal substances, such as alcohol and inhalants, to illegal drugs.
What parents do prior to, and during, these years can have a dramatic impact on a child's decision on whether to use drugs. Following are a few tips.
At any age:
- Openly communicate your family's values, such as honesty and responsibility.
- Set clear and consistent expectations and consequences regarding alcohol and other drugs.
- Get the facts, so you can intelligently discuss the subject with your child.
- Don't overlook smoking and drinking. Young smokers and drinkers are at greater risk of drug use and addiction.
- Be a good listener: pay attention, don't interrupt, don't rush forward with advice. Be available to your child. If the timing is bad, explain why, set a time to talk later, and carry through on it.
Kindergarten-Grade 3
- Teach the difference between illegal drugs and medicines.
- Emphasize the importance of good health and things people do to stay healthy.
- Discuss how ads persuade children.
Grades 4-6
- Create special talking times, such a walk to the ice cream parlor. This age is crucial for parents and children alike, as increasing peer pressure and malleable self image will soon combine to put your child at higher risk.
- Encourage wholesome activities, such as sports, Scouts or religious sponsored youth events.
- Practice ways to refuse alcohol and other drugs.
Grades 7-9
- Counteract building peer pressure with parental influence. Spend one-on-one time with your child. Family discussions about drug use should emphasize the immediate, unpleasant effects.
- Get to know your child's friends and their parents.
- Monitor your child's whereabouts.
- Teach your child to recognize problem situations, such as a party where young people are smoking or drinking.
Grade 10-12
- Talk about long-term effects of drug use, including impact on academic success and health.
- Discuss possible fatal effects of combining drugs.
- Plan strategies for unsupervised hours, especially between 3 and 6 p.m., when teenagers are most likely to experiment with drugs.
Information supplied by Waukesha Memorial Hospital.
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