Talking to Your Kids about Drugs and Other Sticky Subjects

Not all topics you’ll discuss with your kids are going to be pleasant, but since not everything in life is always pleasant, you don’t really have much choice. Talking to your kids about sticky and potentially upsetting subjects like school violence, bullying, drugs and death isn’t easy but it is necessary.

Our children are no longer as sheltered as the children of yesteryear. The internet especially brings things to the eyes of our children that they may not always be ready to see. And, as a parent it’s your job to be ready to explain these things and do your best to make your children understand that they’re a part of life whether we like it or not.

One of the best things that you can do for a child who has questions about some difficult and even scary subjects is to listen. Give them a chance to talk about their concerns and fears and then explain it to the best of your ability while always offering a suggesting on how they can deal with it or get some control over it. For example, when a child expresses fear about the school violence in the news, be sure to let them know that cases that extreme are rare and finish by telling them that there are ways that students can get involved in helping to stop school violence. If your child has questions about drugs you need to be honest with them about the realities of drug use and the dangers while also arming them with ideas as to how to deal with the peer pressure to try drugs. Ending your discussions on a positive note is important because the last thing you want to do is to scare your child and leave them feeling hopeless and negative.

Something else to keep in mind is that you want your child to feel that they can come to you and talk to you about anything. The way you handle talking to them about these important issues will play a big role in helping them feel that they can come to you—or push them away. Remember to be patient with them and avoid snapping, brushing them off or minimizing their concerns in anyway. If they’re coming to you with their concerns and fears the last thing they need is to be made to feel bad or silly for doing so. And, remember not to be judgmental. This isn’t always easy, especially when your child is coming to you about sex or drugs, but you need to keep a cool head and make them feel as comfortable as you can. If your child feels even for a moment that they are being judged or are going to get in trouble for what they’re saying, it may be enough to stop them from coming to you in the future.