Teaching your child not to do drugs

[leeanne]

My kids are being taught in school, even at 6 and 7, that drugs are bad.

I thought I was going to start teaching them at a little older but since they are being introduced to it, I am elaborating on it.

In Vancouver, there is a very bad area where all the homeless and drug addicts hang out the most. Even though it's all over the place, this area is the absolute worst. I had thought that I would start bringing my kids down there to educate them a bit later in years, but I've already started.

To get to downtown Vancouver, you have to pass this area anyhow. So, I've been telling my kids, this is what happens when you do drugs. See all these homeless people who have no money and do drugs.

Hopefully, this will get them thinking. And I will continue to do this to instill it in their heads.

Think it will work?

 

[sparkswillfly]

good idea.

as long as they dont get in with the 'wrong crowd' when they grow up and no longer listen to a word you say!

 

[leeanne]

I agree. The fortunate thing is where we live is further away and is a better neighborhood than most in Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Their school is a small rural school that goes up to grade 7. I've heard other schools with those grades are already having problems with kids trying to sell drugs, etc.

Gees, the school Amanda was in in kindergarten they were teaching them about if they see needles in the schoolyard. That's when you know it's bad. Not that the kids are doing it, but that older kids and adults go there at night or during the weekend and shoot up there.

I can tell you, I will do everything in my power to keep my kids away from that crap. I know kids will experiment, but I want them to be open enough to talk to me when they do so that I can do something about it then.

I think that's the problem. Too many parents don't talk to their children and ground them or discipline them for wrong-doing yet don't talk and tell them why it's wrong.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I think it is a great idea, my BIL is younger and he says "I didn't know it was bad for you" How could you not know? But maybe some kids don't know? I think it is good to show them why it is bad, what will happen to them, and I think I will be doing that myself. My sister is in the medical field so I will be showing H nasty lungs, etc.

 

[sparkswillfly]

My experience of drugs is... its not always the down and outs. My dad went to private school and his friends were right lay abouts smoking weed. Drugs are rife in private schools where kids have more money than sense.

Its also rife amongst the 'normal' people too... not just the 'hard stuff' but what is known as recretional drugs also. I can honestly say I know more people my age that have done one drug or another than havent. My friends are normal people that have good jobs went to uni etc...

When I was growing up I thought I would never ever do it in a million years, I wont go into the sordid details but I did end up down that road. My OHs best friend is a drug addict you wouldnt know to look at him or talk to him. He looks perfectly healthy, nice guy, but his mind is warped.

Its a hard one. Its obviously important to educate your kids on the issue rather than brush it under the carpet. Just got to hope they make the right choice.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I know most people will try. I know I have. It is about being as educated as possible. I think eventually it always turns sour. You cannot do them and have a normal life, eventually it will catch up to you.

 

[sparkswillfly]

I know most people will try. I know I have. It is about being as educated as possible. I think eventually it always turns sour. You cannot do them and have a normal life, eventually it will catch up to you.

thats so true.

 

[polo_princess]

I have a book here that was written by a childhood friend of my OH, and it tells his story of what drugs and gang crime did to his life. I am keeping it for Brooke and once she is old enough i will let her read it, in the hope that because she knows it is somebody her daddy knows, that it will have more of an impact.

 

[leeanne]

Do you possibly think it's also who the parents associate with? If you as parents keep away from people who drink a lot, party a lot or even smoke a little weed?

Dan and I do not drink, we don't go to bars, and are actually home bodies and don't associate with people who do.

Well, then again, due to the trade we have our business in, many of our employees have issues. It's hard to find workers in this trade who do not. However, we do not socialize with them...they work for us and that's it.

 

[Tam]

Oooooh I am so dreading all this!! Jade is 10 and they have done zilch about drugs, I am not really sure they even do...I know I was never taught about it at school.

The odd conversation comes up if it is mentioned on TV so it is talked about, but barr that, that is it. We obviously talk about the dangers and how it can influence your life etc but tbh I don't really know how to go about it. I don't want to bring it up as it is not something she is aware of yet but maybe that is the time to do it?!?!

I think your idea is a good idea, and OK I realise that if they get into the wrong crowd then that can become an issue, but just maybe too, they will be strong enough to have their own opinions and say no! I did....a few people in my circle of friends did some B type stuff, and it never interested me in the slightest, I have never seen the point of it all.

Hmmmm you have given me food for thought now. x

 

[Tam]

Do you possibly think it's also who the parents associate with? If you as parents keep away from people who drink a lot, party a lot or even smoke a little weed?

Dan and I do not drink, we don't go to bars, and are actually home bodies and don't associate with people who do.

Well, then again, due to the trade we have our business in, many of our employees have issues. It's hard to find workers in this trade who do not. However, we do not socialize with them...they work for us and that's it.

I think this will have some baring on things, as at the end of the day we are the role models that they will learn from initially. x

 

[sparkswillfly]

Do you possibly think it's also who the parents associate with? If you as parents keep away from people who drink a lot, party a lot or even smoke a little weed?

Dan and I do not drink, we don't go to bars, and are actually home bodies and don't associate with people who do.

Well, then again, due to the trade we have our business in, many of our employees have issues. It's hard to find workers in this trade who do not. However, we do not socialize with them...they work for us and that's it.

Both my parents dont go out let alone go out partying. My dad did before I was born but not since then. I never even knew he smoked weed when he was younger until recently. I think the biggest issue is friends. I only started when I went to work in Ibiza and it was just 'the norm' out there. My OH started when he got a job at a record shop and all his friends did it too. It was a social thing rather than me thinking on my own, Im going to try this or that. It was just there iykwim.

I wont keep Meadow away from my OHs friend, but when shes old enough to understand I will explain I wont try and hide it. I intend to be very open with her so that hopefully she will talk to me about stuff like this. I like to think that I would know if she was going to be around drugs by the places she was going. I dont want to be one of those parents that doesnt have a clue about their kids lives.

 

[leeanne]

There is also the hope that if you keep your kids busy and into extra curricular stuff that they won't get bored and hang out with the wrong people. I hope to keep my kids busy but not stressed either.

Another thing is having an open house for their friends. I've already started implementing it and their friends are always welcome here. Best to know where they are at all times, even if it means a house full of kids. LOL

My MIL did something with one of her sons as a teen. He started hanging out with the wrong crowd and started smoking pot. When she found out, she never let him out of her sight and he was stuck to her side for a good 6 weeks. LOL It worked!

 

[sparkswillfly]

There is also the hope that if you keep your kids busy and into extra curricular stuff that they won't get bored and hang out with the wrong people. I hope to keep my kids busy but not stressed either.

Another thing is having an open house for their friends. I've already started implementing it and their friends are always welcome here. Best to know where they are at all times, even if it means a house full of kids. LOL

My MIL did something with one of her sons as a teen. He started hanging out with the wrong crowd and started smoking pot. When she found out, she never let him out of her sight and he was stuck to her side for a good 6 weeks. LOL It worked!

open house with friends is a good idea. when I was growing up my mum was the same. whereas other parents werent and kids would hang out in parks and drink cider! which isnt one of the things I did!

 

[tasha41]

Eeek scary to think about, but I'm gonna have to start early with Elyse. Not that we live in a "bad" neighbourhood but kids have money and A LOT of the kids I was in high school with dabbled with coke, ecstasy, a lot more did shrooms, and the majority smoked weed. I don't know how many times I could have tried cocaine or done E but didn't do it fortunately.. just the other 2 I listed.. I don't really regret either but I still don't want Elyse doing it!

 

[tasha41]

Also... my parents are always home. They're always close by, and I think that sort of pushed me away from home at times... I wanted to be free to do what I wanted so would always hang out with my friend whos mother would always be working and her dad would be in his room/out. And I wasn't allowed to have friends over really either. I didn't want to bring my friends here, my parents are "weird", I didn't want them to talk to us or bother us, I didn't want to bring friends whose houses had less rules to my house that had some.

The rules have pretty much gone out the window now though, lol.

 

[hopeandpray]

although it's great to keep it simple when they're younger i think don't stick to extremes. Most people i know were told EVERYONE that has unprotected sex gets pregnant EVERYONE that does drugs ends up on the street. Then when kids find an exception to this they think their parents don't know what they're talking about and don't take their advice seriously. The story is bad enough! so no need to exaggerate it.