We Asked, You Answered: How often do you talk to Your Children about Drugs and Alcohol?
For many parents, regularly talking to their children about addictive substances can be challenging. With this in mind, we asked our readers, “How often do you talk to your children about drugs and alcohol?”
While nearly one-third of respondents said they talk to their kids about this important topic every week, the most common response was never, which received 40 percent of the votes.
If you consider yourself a part of this 40 percent, here are some tips from our Family Day Parent Toolkit on how to have these difficult conversations:
Set Limits. Be clear, direct and honest when setting limits. Let your children know you do not want them using substances, and lay out the specific consequences if they break that rule. Explain your reasons for not wanting them to use substances and engage them in a conversation about the harmful consequences.
Bring it up. Make talking with your children about substance use a natural part of your continuing discussion with them, rather than just a onetime event. It shouldn’t be a taboo subject that no one in your household wants to broach.