(RxWiki News) Parents have to handle all kinds of issues with their kids. Here is a helpful guide to positive parenting techniques to help keep kids on the right track.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has released a guide to help parents and guardians stay involved through positive parenting, which may also prevent drug abuse. It’s free and easy to use.
"Talk to your kids about drug abuse."
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) promotes Positive Parenting Skills with help from the Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon.
NIDA recommends, “Developing good communication skills helps parents catch problems early, support positive behavior and stay aware of what is happening in their children’s lives.”
Communication tips included were:
- Focus 100% on the conversation
- Have a plan to drive and focus the conversation
- Be calm and patient
- Listen to what kids are saying and show genuine interest
- Give encouragement daily
- Avoid negative emotions
NIDA provided this anagram to help parents keep conversations moving in positive directions: CALM
C: Control your thoughts and actions
A: Assess and decide if you are too upset to continue
L: Leave the situation if you feeling too angry or upset
M: Make a plan to deal with the situation within 24 hours.
NIDA recommended using encouragement to promote good relations and reduce any feelings of conflict between parents and children. The encouragement tips included were:
- Don’t use sarcasm about a child’s ability to do well at something
- Help kids break problems into smaller pieces
- Remind kids of their strengths and past achievements
It’s absolutely a good thing to set limits for kids. Setting limits tips were:
- Make rules clear and simple
- Make sure the kids understand the rules
- Make a list of consequences
- Follow through with those rules and consequences
Supervision and knowing the environment and friends a child spends time with are important. Peer influence is a fact of life. Spend time getting to know what kind of behaviors and settings are influencing kids.
Positive parenting, open communication, encouragement, setting clear limits and monitoring peer influence could help prevent drug abuse.
Check out the complete “Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse” guide by clicking on the links below.
This prevention guide was made available in October on the National Institute on Drug Abuse website.
Research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
