12 Steps to Keeping Children Drug Free

Keeping children drug-free is not an impossible task. There is no secret to raising healthy children. It’s hard work but well worth it. Here’s our twelve-step program for keeping children drug free.

Step 1 Demonstrate caring. When you care about someone, you act on his or her behalf.

Step 2 Show interest. Ask your kids when they come home how their day was. Help them with or review their homework. Attend school plays and Gatherings. Be a presence in your child’s school. If your child’s teacher does not know your name when you meet – you are not a presence.

Step 3 Parent Without Violence. Forget the spankings and beatings and tongue-lashings.

Step 4 Talk About Drugs. Talk with your child, not to your child about drugs. Talking with someone is a discussion/conversation. Talking to someone is a lecture/speech.

Step 5 Model Appropriate Drinking. If you’re going to drink alcohol, don’t sneak it or only drink when the kids are asleep. They’ll know you’re sneaking. Model appropriate drinking in front of the children.

Step 6 No Drinking Means No Drinking. If you want your kids to have a drug-free childhood, then don’t you be the one to offer them alcohol. Some families have “traditions” and rites of passage where at certain ceremonies it’s okay to drink, or it’s okay to try smoking “just once.” If you don’t want your kids to steal things, why would you say, “It’s okay just to steal just this once. It’s Grandma’s birthday and she would like a new radio”?

Step 7 No Illegal Drugs. If parents are doing illegal drugs, what chance do you think your kids will have to stay drug-free? Anyway, it’s against the law.

Step 8 Don’t Compromise Your Values. Many parents believe their kids are going to drink anyway, so they would rather have them drink at home. Stick to your values. “No drinking means no drinking – anywhere or with anyone.”

Step 9 Just Say Yes to Health! The problem with being a kid is that adults keep telling you to say “No” to this, and “No” to that. “No” won’t work without a “Yes.” A kid has to say “Yes” to something else if he’s going to say “No.” If “No” is to drugs. What’s “Yes” to?

Step 10 Communicate. To communicate is to talk and listen. Try listening more and talking less. I bet you will learn things about your kids you’ve not heard before.

Step 11 Have Fun as a Family. Do things together. Sports, parks, picnics, movies, parties. You name it – then do it as a family. Without alcohol!  

Step 12 Know Your Kids’ Friends. Birds of a feather flock together. Find out who your children hang around with. Let your home be the gathering spot.