5 Ways to Create Drug-Free Home

1.Lead by Example

It’s an old saying, but it’s really true – actions speak louder than words. If you want to encourage a drug-free home, model appropriate behaviors. For example, if you smoke, make a point of going outside to do so. If you indulge in drinks at an office party, don’t come home drunk and show your kids that that is acceptable behavior. Don’t impose your drug use on your children, and they will in turn be respectful of other people’s wishes.

2. Encourage Open Conversation

Don’t pretend you’ve never had any exposure to drugs, or that your children will never have any. You can’t control what they do when they’re not with you, but you can control whether they tell you about it. Talk to your kids openly about your own drug-related decisions, and they will feel that it’s okay to talk to you when they have to make a tough decision about peer pressure.

3. Emphasize Safety

Always open conversations about drugs with the information that you love your children and care about their safety above all. They know this, but teenagers especially need to be reminded. For example, when talking about alcohol safety, let your kids know that if the person who drove them to a party got drunk, you will come pick them up – even if it means knowing their friends were underage drinking.

4. Be a Teacher

Share the information you have about drugs, and do some of your own research. If you hear a rumor about a new drug, look it up in a reputable source before blindly confronting your children. Also, try to share your knowledge in a neutral way, and don’t be overly negative or accusatory with it. If you give your kids the facts, they will look to you as a source of truth about drugs.

5. Help Them Be Their Own Teacher

When your kids are old enough, show them some of the sources you use to look up the facts about drugs, and encourage them to look up some things on their own. Someday, you want your kids to be able to get information on drugs when you’re not there. Give your teens these tools early, and when they’re adults, they’ll be able to make healthy decisions about drinking and smoking, and not feel overwhelmed.