What a parent can do

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Exactly what can you as a parent to help safeguard your children from using alcohol and drugs?

According to mental health specialist and youth advocate, Frederick Dyer, there’s no one thing.

But, Dr Dyer said, using the acronym PARENT can help you to remember the following useful advice:

l Promote activities that capitalise on the strengths of the developing brain such as sports and music;

l Assist your child with their challenges that require planning. According to Dr Dyer, adolescents do not like to think about thinking. He said for this reason parents need to intervene, help, persuade and guide their children.

“If you don’t plan you become a wanderer,” he said. Wanderers are more vulnerable to delinquency and substance abuse, he warned;

l Reinforce them seeking advice from you and other adults. Dr Dyer said as a parent it’s important to know who the other adults giving advice to your children are;

l Educate your children about risk taking and the negative consequences of drug taking and alcohol abuse;

l Never underestimate the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain;

l Tolerate ‘oops’ behaviours common during teen years. Dr Dyer suggests that parents chose their battles with their children and recognise, particularly with teenagers, that their hormones may be impacting their behaviours.

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