Friendships Fight Drugs
Are your kids developing the strong social skills needed to say no to drugs and alcohol?
A recent study suggests school-based prevention programs that foster social development can reduce pressures to use drugs and alcohol. Ask your school principal or teachers about drug-prevention programs. The ones that teach kids the social skills to meet new people, build healthy friendships, and resist dangerous social pressures -- starting at an early age -- are the most effective.
The increasing prevalence of drug abuse among youth has spurred numerous drug-prevention programs in schools. After reviewing 32 studies on such programs, researchers concluded that the most effective programs focused on fostering social skills rather than warning about the consequences of drug use or building self-esteem. Developing your child's ability to communicate, make good decisions, and be assertive will help him or her respond effectively to pressure to use drugs or alcohol.
You can encourage these important social skills by giving your children practice making their own decisions and allowing them to anticipate the consequences of those decisions. Be sure the decisions they make are age-appropriate. For example, young children can choose what they want to eat for lunch, what to wear, and what books to read. As kids get older, let them make more complex decisions, such as which courses to take or how to spend their money.
