Due to pressure from friends, most teens end up experimenting with drugs or alcohol. Most of them do not know the consequences of their decisions. It’s the parent’s and teacher’s role to guide these young adults to good behavior. Here, https://www.myrecoverycorps.com/, they will know the dangers of addiction, encouraging them to make healthy choices.
How To Prevent Your Teenagers From Abusing Drugs and Substances
Keeping Track Of Prescription Drugs at Home
Children nowadays are very tricky—some over-the-counter drug abuse right inside their homes. So, take inventory of prescription medicines at home, and discourage them from buying medicine without your knowledge.
Be a Good Example
Parents should be role models to their children. Kids brought up in families where parents abuse drugs or alcohol end up with the same behavior. It is also hard to warn your children about drugs when you are taking them. Parents should avoid taking the substance in the presence of their children and ensure they keep away from any drugs or alcohol at home.
Know Your Child’s Activities
In the world today, parents are more concerned about making money. Most of them leave parenting responsibilities to nannies or teachers. It’s advisable to spare time and know the whereabouts of your teenagers.
Support Your Children
Be a good friend to your teens. Most of them go through difficulties associated with teenagers. Praise and encourage them to do well. Children who have caring parents open up to them when they indulge in illicit behaviors and seek forgiveness.
Leisure Activities
It’s best to allow teenagers to engage in recreational activities. However, they should be accompanied by a responsible person to watch over them. This will keep them engaged and happy too.
Set Rules and Consequences
Make family rules such as not attending events without your knowledge, coming home late, or, involved with bad guys. If your teen breaks such rules, then they will face the consequences.
Know Your Teen’s Friends
Most teens start abusing drugs due to peer pressure. If your child’s friends use drugs, it is likely they will influence them.
Set Up Surveillance Cameras in Schools and Homes
Learners cannot take drugs in open areas where teachers and students can see them. The majority of them abuse drugs in dark corridors or playgrounds. Teens who abuse drugs at home do so in the backyard or their bedrooms. Install CCTV cameras in such areas to discourage hiding places for such vices.
Counseling Programs
With the increase of addiction cases among students, most schools offer counseling sessions. These programs aim at warning learners of the dangers of drugs. Such programs are also helpful, since students who’ve been abusing drugs can get help and treatment.
Have a School’s Discipline Team
Most schools have discipline teams that consist of staff members. Others schools include a few parents, learners, and community members in discipline teams. Students are mandated to check which students are taking drugs. At the same time, the parents and community members will get information on learners who take drugs when out of school. Together, the team members can help fight drugs and alcohol abuse.
Encourage Teens To Engage In Extracurricular Activities
According to the National Institute on out –of-School Time, learners who spend most of their time engaging in extracurricular activities have a 49% possibility of engaging in drugs. Encourage teenagers to keep their minds occupied to avoid drugs and other immoralities.
Addiction can be managed through treatment and therapy. So, if you know of a teenager who’s into drugs, encourage them to seek help. However, prevention is better than cure. Hold teen seminars and use social media platforms to warn teens of the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
