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Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use without Appearing to be SpyingEven if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still need to keep an eye on them. It is much better to realize that things could change, and anticipate that your teen COULD become a user. Essentially, it is not wise to make assumptions about topics such as drug use. Also, having been a high school teacher afforded me the opportunity to witness peer pressure, and how even good kids could be convinced to try drugs - just to fit in. It is important that you play a proactive role in ensuring that your teenagers and the rest of your family remains drug free.About drug use Initially, I learned that the signs of drug use included three basic symptoms: • A loss of interest in hobbies • A change in friends • A drop in grades What I later discovered was that not seeing these symptoms only provides a false sense of security regarding teenagers and potential drug use. The above behaviors apply more to signs of “drug addiction,” as opposed to “experimental” drug use. Teens who experiment with drugs don't start out addicted so logically, they do not show any symptoms. They generally look healthy and nothing seems to be wrong. In fact, teens can casually use drugs for over a year before their parents would even suspect any drug or alcohol use. Many teenagers who decide to experiment with drugs start out casually, using them with friends and then progressing towards regular use. It is important that you look for clues pertaining to casual drug use so that if your teen is prone, you can proactively deal with it. What you can do You need to monitor your teen's behavior and watch for signs of drug use, without appearing to be spying. Your goal should be to prevent him or her from feeling free to experiment with drugs or alcohol. The best way to accomplish this is to keep abreast of your teen's activities and friends. You will be able to spot a problem early if you keep your eyes and ears open, and believe that YOUR teenager is capable of using drugs. Many parents get blind-sided by thinking that their teen would never try drugs. Only then will you be ready to intervene if the situation presents itself. The following are ten ways to monitor your teenager's behavior and watch for signs of drug use, without appearing to be spying: 1. Hug your teen as soon as s/he arrives home. Check for odors of possible marijuana smoke or alcohol. Remember that cologne or chewing gum may be used to hide the odor. 2. Teenagers under the influence will usually go straight to their room when they arrive home. While making eye contact, hold a brief conversation. Check for bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and their sense of balance. 3. Keep the lights on and stay up until your teenager comes home. 4. Ask your teen for the time and watch the way s/he looks at his or her watch. 5. If your teenager unexpectedly wants to spend the night at a friend's house, and you have concerns, say no. 6. Maintain a flexible schedule. Be unpredictable so your teen cannot find it easy to plan around your activities. 7. Keep abreast of what your teen is really doing when away from home. Meet their friends and their parents and participate in mutual activities. This is a very effective form of networking. 8. Ask your neighbors to discretely keep an eye on any activities that may take place while you are not home. 9. Check to see how your teens are doing in school. Ask their teachers if there is any cause for concern or if your teen has been behaving differently. 10. After you meet your teenager's friends, always ask them to identify themselves when they call. Get to know them. Always encourage your teens to invite their friends over while you are home. Remember, your goal should be to prevent your teenager from feeling free to experiment with drugs or alcohol. The best way to accomplish this is to keep abreast of their activities and friends using the above methods. Lastly, but most important, talk to your teenager on a regular basis about the drug use she witnesses, and how she feels about it. Also, if she has been approached, have her describe how she handled the situation. Strive for honesty and ask how you can help her to remain drug free. About the author: This article is an excerpt from the book "Realizing the Power of Love," How a father and teenage daughter became best friends...and how you can too! By V. Michael Santoro, M. Ed and Jennifer S. Santoro. For more information visit their Web site at http://www.dads-daughters.com/ Circulated by Article Emporium Growing Pains Growing Pains By David Leonhardt Growing up is never easy. Just ask Little Lady, almost three-and-a-half, how hard it is. She'll tell you. “It's really, really hard. Half way through the day, my parents are a complete wreck.” She's right. Sometimes the te... The Supermum Myth Exposed The Supermum myth is creating havoc in families and communities around the world. Think about it. There is so much pressure on mothers. They're expected to know what their doing with a brand new baby despite having little or no experience except a few antenatal classes and books... The Shoemaker and the Brat At seventeen years old, I was a brat. A mixture of innocence, immaturity and righteousness. And I carried that attitude with me everywhere, including my trip to the shoemaker. Now, to understand why something as simple as a trip to the shoemaker would stay with me all thes... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part III of III This is part III and the last part of this report. I hope you and your child are benefiting from the cues to their individual learning style and suggestions on how to can adjust your learning environment to achieve a successful and enjoyable homeschooling experience. Nex... Surviving a C-Section After 42 weeks of pregnancy, two days of undergoing inducement and physical stress on the baby, my daughter was delivered via an emergency C-section. Oh, it was music to my ears when my gynecologist arrived in my hospital room at 4:30 a.m. and told me they were going to do an emerg... Parenting: Ten Things You Can Do to Develop Your Baby's Language Skills The growth of your baby's language skills is an amazing process. In the short space of a year, she goes from crying to speaking intelligible words. Can you do anything to help baby along? Apparently yes. There are ways to help the baby develop her language skills more eas... A Step-By-Step Plan to a Healthy Pregnancy Having a baby is an exciting moment. However, the nine months leading up to the experience can be a bit unnerving. Most women worry throughout their pregnancy about the health of their baby. To alleviate the stress and worry that often creep up during pregnancy, plan instead to hav... Back When I Was A Kid... We must eliminate from our minds a few phrases when we are making decisions about how we will be raising our kids. They are the sayings like: "When I was a kid..." and "If I had done that when I was a kid, my dad would have..." or "Back when we were in school they used to..." ... Games to Make your Baby Shower a Success Described below are many baby shower games that will spruce up any baby shower. ABC's Have each person write down each letter of the alphabet. Everyone has to name something that has to do with a baby for each letter. This game should be timed for about two minute... Does Your Family Know How to be Safe on the Internet? A USA Today article that ran in July 2005 cited findings from a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. They found that during the school year, kids between the ages of 8 and 10 years old spent an average of 6 hours per day watching television, playing video games and/or ... Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use without Appearing to be Spying Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still need to keep an eye on them. It is much better to realize that things could change, and anticipate that your teen COULD become a user. Essentially, it is not wise to make assumptions about topics such as drug use. Also, having bee... Mommy & Baby: Weight Gain & Failure To Thrive A guide to appropriate weight-gain and what to look for if you suspect failure-to-thrive: Weight Gain: Birth – 2 weeks of age Regain birth weight plus some 2 weeks – 3 months of age Two pounds per month or one ounce per day 4 – 6 ... The Characteristics of a Typical Baby Born Under the Sign of Libra Your Libra Baby.. September 23 - October 22 Libras can be really beautiful babies. Personality wise, your Libra baby will not like to be hurried and will hate having to choose between two things. Libra children often seem older than their years and unexpectedly kn... Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part II of III Create the best learning environment for your child. In addition to receiving and processing information, learning is affected by how the child responds to the organization of the material. Consider these four basic types. (Remember it is not a box to keep your child in..... When To Start Teaching Your Baby (1) When is it that I should start teaching my baby? That is a question that may come to mind for many first time parents; other parents may never consider the question at all, and just leave things to evolve naturally. In a way, that is an unnecessary question as, whether you...
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