Socializing
Many teenagers use drugs and alcohol to overcome their insecurities, let their guard down and feel socially confident with others. Some see "partying" as a way to instantly bond with a group of kids, uniting with them in opposition to the "rules" of school, work — and parents.
What Parents Can Do
- Encourage — and help — your child to socialize with friends in a public place instead of in someone's empty home
- Find activities for your teen to socialize in a healthy, safe supervised environment
- If your teen has a bunch of friends over, find excuses to be nearby or drop in frequently. (But don't overdo it, or they won't want to hang out at your house.) Teens are less likely to drink or use drugs if they know they can be caught at any minute
- If your child goes to a party, ask him to call you halfway through the night (and set consequences if he doesn't). Also, you can call him! He'll be less likely to get drunk if he knows he has to have a coherent conversation with you, or if he knows that you can and will call at any time
- Set curfews and enforce them
- When your teen arrives home after a night out with friends, look her in the eye, smell her clothes and hair and ask her about her night
- If your teen arrives home after you have gone to sleep, make them wake you up (or set your alarm at their curfew time), look him in the eye, smell is clothes and hair and ask him about his night
- If your teen is sleeping over at a friends house, call them on the house phone right before or after curfew
- If you sense your teen been drinking or using drugs, be sure to have a conversation the next morning when he's sober
VIDEO TIPS
Experts share tips on how to be a social facilitator.
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Drugs provide an instant "in" with what may seem like a desirable social group
The kids who are using drugs or alcohol may seem like the "cool" ones to your teen, and using alongside them can provide an easy way to become part of this group
Drugs make teens feel that they are really open and relating to each other
Kids have endless discussions on everything while high, and may come to believe that drugs are necessary to achieve that kind of close interaction.
Drugs give teens something to do
How many times have you heard your kids say "I'm bored?" Drugs give teenagers something to do, that often doesn't require transportation or too much money—just a quiet, uninterrupted place to hang out.