How Can Parents Protect Children?

Parents can take the following steps to encourage their children to avoid alcohol and drugs: 

• Spend time together regularly. 
• Listen and talk with your children. Try to understand the pressures placed on them and don't criticize their beliefs. 
• Keep track of where your children are, what they are doing, and who their friends are. 
• Get them involved in after-school activities, so they won't be able to just "hang out" with friends in the afternoon. This is when children are most likely to experiment.
• Praise or reward children often. If they feel good about themselves, they will be more confident and better able to resist peer pressure.
• Be a positive role model for your children. Don't abuse alcohol or drugs.

• By. US Department of Education

• A place for educators and parents to get information on marijuana's effects on the adolescent brain.

• Few parents ever foresee heroin addiction for their adolescent/young adult children, but it happens all the time.
• by: John Lee for  www.choosehelp.com