Raising Drug-Free Children

by Rebecca A. Drey

Parents in today's society have a critical responsibility to protect their children from the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. While our community has committed considerable resources to combat the problem of substance abuse, families remain a largely untapped and valuable resource. Prevention of substance abuse must become a "family affair," challenging all members of the family to invest in healthy, drug-free lifestyles. Families with children ages 8 through 12 face a special challenge. It is during this period that children are making their first decisions about the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

A model for raising drug-free children is the Council on Chemical Abuse's "A Twelve Step Approach to Prevention," which was designed to prepare parents to take on the challenges of raising drug-free children. Parents must be prepared to assume the role of family prevention educator before and/or when the child is making his first decision to use or not use drugs. This approach is a comprehensive prevention program that promotes a community-wide effort to strengthen the role of families as prevention educators. Instead of relying solely on teachers to educate our children regarding the risks of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, this approach to prevention empowers parents to become the primary prevention educators in their children's lives by attempting to meet the following goals:

• Enhancing the capacity of parents of children, ages 8-12 years, to serve as family educators in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention.
• Increasing parental enforcement of clear behavioral expectations regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.
• Increasing parental capacity to intervene on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by their children.
• Empowering parents to serve as advocates for community prevention education.

Parents must carry out a variety of special responsibilities as family prevention educators. These responsibilities form the foundation for Raising Drug-free Children: A Twelve Step Approach to Prevention:

1. Be a good role model. Your habits and attitudes will strongly influence your children's ideas about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. It is important for the sake of your children to be healthy, positive role models.
2. Listen to your children. A child is more likely to talk with you when you give verbal and nonverbal cues that show you are listening.
3. Talk to your children about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. You can help change ideas your children may have that "everybody drinks, smokes, or uses drugs" with practical, honest information.
4. Encourage your children to engage in healthy, creative activities. Research indicates that when children are busy with extracurricular activities, they are less likely to become involved in risk-taking behaviors.
5. Ask questions about your children's friends and activities. Children who associate with alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-using children are more likely to use drugs than those who don't. Get to know your children's friends and share in activities that are of interest to your children.
6. Call on other parents for support. By joining forces with other parents for guidance and support, the sometimes difficult job of raising children can be lessened by sharing in the experience, strength and hope of other parents.
7. Help your children feel good about themselves. Your children will feel good when you praise their efforts, as well as their accomplishments.
8. Help your children develop strong values. A value is a principle or idea that is desirable. A strong value system can give your children the strength and courage to say "NO" to risk-taking behaviors.
9. Establish family rules about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. Parents must set the rules - and then be prepared to enforce the penalties if and when the rules are broken. Rules should be specific, consistent and reasonable.
10. Help your children deal with peer pressure. Confidence is crucial in helping children develop effective refusal skills.
11. Know what to do if you suspect a problem. In spite of all one's efforts, alcohol and other drug problems can occur. It is important to know what to do in these situations and where to go for help.
12. Carry this message to other parents. By carrying this message to others, you help secure your commitment toward a way of life that will help your child learn to say "NO" to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

The steps in raising drug-free children may appear simplistic. However, raising drug-free children is not a simple task, and parents must be properly prepared to carry out these multi-faceted responsibilities.

Rebecca A. Drey is a Drug and Alcohol Program Specialist for the Council on Chemical Abuse. For more information on this program, contact the Council on Chemical Abuse at 610-376-8669 or at www.councilonchemicalabuse.org.

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