NCJ Number
202184
Date Published
2003
Length
32 pages
Annotation
In guiding parents in measures to prevent their children's involvement in drugs, this handbook discusses the danger signs of drug abuse and offers the advice of experts on raising confident, caring kids who can withstand social pressure to use drugs.
Abstract
Advice for forging positive parent-child relationships includes spending at least 10 minutes daily in quiet conversation with each child and engaging in at least one family fun activity each week; providing encouragement that builds children's self-esteem; providing clear boundaries that define acceptable and unacceptable behavior; and allowing children to make decisions within specified limits. In addition to general guidelines for the development of positive parent child interactions, the handbook also provides specific suggestions for educating children about alcohol and other drug use. This means that parents must become knowledgeable about the dangers of these substances and deal with the difference between parental and child use of alcoholic beverages. Other suggestions pertain to neighborhood support systems that guard against drug use, as well as involvement in larger community connections through public schools and special law enforcement programs. Specific suggestions are offered for talking to children about drugs at various age levels, from preschoolers through high school. In order to educate parents about alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, a table provides the names, drug types, consumption methods, and effects for the most common potentially dangerous substances that might be accessible to children and adolescents. Information is provided on the signs of drug use and gang involvement, how to get help and treatment for drug abuse. Phone numbers for various helping agencies are provided.