What Can Parents Do?
Parents can help keep their teenagers safe during these upcoming activities by taking several important steps.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Talk with your child by calmly explaining your feelings about substance use and allow your child to talk about any questions or concerns he or she may have. Remember that communication involves not only speaking, but also listening to the child's opinions and emotions.
It is important that you let him or her know you do not approve of illicit drug and alcohol use because it is dangerous. Be firm, but nonjudgmental. Your child is too important to succumb to the risks of alcohol and drugs!
Be especially careful about letting your child drive or ride in a car with other teenagers during school-end events. Parents need to discuss all aspects of teenage driving with their children. You must set rules for your teenagers about talking on cell phones, carrying other teenagers as passengers, and curfews. Many States are beginning to legislate some of these issues through graduated driver licensing programs.
The following publications may help give you some ideas for talking with your child about this important subject:
It also is important for parents to ask their children where they will be at all times and what they will be doing. Ask your child for specifics and find out how you can reach him or her at all times.
Be Involved
Be actively involved in your child's life. Parents can check to see if their child's school will be holding after-prom or after-graduation parties. If so, offer to volunteer some time and work to ensure that the party will appeal to students. If your community does not offer these alcohol-free parties, find out from school officials if it is feasible to create a task force of parents and teachers to plan a party.
In addition, talk with your child's transportation provider and emphasize that you expect him or her to forbid drinking. Check school policies for underage drinking and contact the person in charge at all places your child will be during the course of the night. If your child says he or she will be hanging out at a friend's house after prom, call that friend's parents to ensure they will be supervising and that they have a zero tolerance policy for alcohol and illicit drugs.
During Beach Week, accompany your child on his or her vacation, if at all possible. This way, you may be able to keep your child and his or her friends safe by discouraging them from giving in to any temptations they may have to use alcohol or illicit drugs. Young people will be less likely to experiment with these substances if parents are nearby.
If you are unable to go on the vacation with your child, talk with the parents of your child's friends to see if any of them can go on the trip and monitor the young people's activities.
Tips for Parents
- Be a good listener
- Give clear no-use messages about drugs and alcohol
- Help your child deal with peer pressure to use drugs
- Get to know your child's friends and parents
- Monitor your child's whereabouts
- Supervise teen activities
- Maintain an open and honest dialogue with your child
--from Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
Discuss Safety With Your Child
Even if your child resists alcohol and drugs, he or she is still at risk for becoming victimized by them. Emphasize the importance of watching out for careless, and possibly drunken, drivers and using the "buddy system" so that he or she is with at least one friend at all times. Encourage your child to call you at any time if he or she needs a safe ride home or for any other reason.
Also stress the need for teenagers to keep an eye on their beverages while out and never accept a drink from someone they do not know. "Date-rape drugs," such as GHB and Rohypnol, can be slipped into a person's drink in mere seconds. The drugs are tasteless and odorless and the victim may not even be aware he or she is being drugged.
These drugs cause the victim to lose consciousness or be unable to move so that a person can take advantage of him or her. The following resources will provide you with more information about specific date-rape drugs:
Research
You can research the vacation spot your child has selected for Beach Week by searching for the city on the Internet or looking for information at a local library. Many beach communities take aggressive steps to discourage underage drinking and drug use.
For additional information about talking to your child about alcohol and drugs, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 or via e-mail at info@health.org.
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