Parents start worrying about their kids the minute the latter step out of the door. Although we want to protect our children in every possible way, the bitter reality is that it’s easier said than done. Kids are exposed to all kind of people and situations, some of which may pose them great harm. Drug abuse is precisely an example of this. Desperate to fit in and socialize, teens are generally vulnerable to peer pressure, and it is this pressure that can cause them to take up bad habits, like taking drugs. As parents, it’s your responsibility to keep your kids from getting caught up in the ugly world of drugs.

It’s Now or Never

In a survey, teens were asked how they started taking drugs in the first place. 55 percent of them replied that they started taking drugs due to peer pressure. Drug dealers use teens to run their business. They become friends with the school and college students and offer them free drugs in order to get them hooked. Quite possibly, your teen could be the next target. Therefore, you must realize that it’s now or never. So leave everything else and just focus on teaching your teens how to deal with peer pressure as it is the peer pressure that causes teens to do activities they regret afterwards. Following are a few suggestions for the parents of teens.

Spend Quality Time with Him

Teens and drugs have a special attraction for each other. What should you expect from a teen facing first breakup, low grades, angry parents, depression and anxiety? Teens take drugs to take a break from reality for a while. It is the age when they do not really care about what is right for them and what is wrong. Parents must spend quality time with teens. Listen to their daily routine, asking them about studies, friends and school environment. Share your own memories and experiences as a teen, emphasizing on how you faced bullying and peer pressure. Win their confidence so that you are the first person they come to in case of any problem. In other words, keep the lines of communication open.

Develop Moral and Ethical Values

Parents frequently teach kids how to deal with peer pressure, but they often overlook the importance of developing moral and ethical values. Parents must set certain standards for right and wrong, and good and bad so that teens know what they should and shouldn’t be doing. When was the last time you told your teens that drug abuse and drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited for them? How can they really know what is right for them if you will not inform them? Don’t just lecture them on moral and ethical values, help them understand what you’re telling them and why you’re telling it.

Act as a Role Model for Your Kid

Do you know why teens follow their friends without thinking for a moment? It is because they consider them as their role models. Teens get inspired from their friends, the way they look, their dressing, their success etc. which is why they consider them their role models. Parents should act as a positive role model. If a father is drinking alcohol every night or taking drugs, or a mother is attending late night parties most days of the week, then what would you expect from the kids? Do not just give advice and long boring lectures to the kids; teach them through your actions.

Reacting strongly upon discovering that your teen has been drinking alcohol will only complicate the situation, making it harder for you to help your child out. Keep your emotions in check and focus on keeping your youngster safe.