Drug addiction is a situation that can and
should be prevented from the family to a large extent; without discarding
that society and other factors have interference in it. For this reason it
is recommended that parents do not ignore the topic and assume an active
position in this reality.
This, like many other educational aspects,
should be worked in a preventive way -from early childhood- and not when it has
become a real fact, which makes it difficult to solve the problem. It is
clear that each evolutionary stage has a level of complexity that marks some
characteristics and needs, what is important is that by the time adolescence
has arrived, all the work has already been done within the family. These
are some pillars to prevent drug use.
1. Knowing the children
It is the first step and determines some of
the actions of the parents. Each child is different; therefore the parents
must know their particularities and thus be able to teach assertively the
educational objectives for each one, although some rules and general conditions
in the home must be kept.
2. Work self-esteem
From the knowledge of the children, the
parents must strengthen the strengths and work the weaknesses, exercise that
generates in them confidence in themselves and makes them feel strong before
the others; this is the result of the balance in the balance between the
positive and the negative of each one. Healthy self-esteem is a kind of
"shield" before the attacks and labels are so given to appear in the
classrooms; it is also a tool that gives criteria to the opinions of
others to defend their own convictions. And it plays a fundamental role in
the group acceptance that acquires such importance in adolescence.
3. Strengthen the will and self-control
Not everyone has the predisposition to
addictions, but it is important to be clear that this can happen. Then the
exercises of the will and self-control have a very important value. The
will generates the necessary inner strength to fight against a situation not
convenient, the same happens with self-control, which regulates impulses and
prevents situations of risk.
4. Communicate, trust and monitor
It is an inseparable binomial; the parent-child relationship and vice versa must be built under these two
concepts. The one leads to the other, that is, a relationship that is
built under trust opens the doors of dialogue. In turn, communication is
linked to active listening by parents, which makes children feel valued and in
turn know that the family is the best place to resolve questions about this and
other risk issues.
Within this dialogue, it is the duty of the
parents to talk with their children about the physical and emotional damages
that the consumption of drugs generates. With that, parents should monitor
the activities and whereabouts of their kids. They can do it efficiently with
FamilyTime – family
locator app that keeps parents updated about their kids’ location. To
see how this app works, give it a free try now just by clicking the link given
below
As we know, prevention is everyone's
mission: family, school and society; however, we as parents are the first
ones responsible, the rest are external factors. From the family, much can
be done to prevent children from taking the wrong path.