Five Tips to Keep Your Teen Safe in an Unsafe World

The world is a scary place when you are the parent of a teenager. You want your child to glide through adolescence free of harm; your teen just wants to be left alone. You are suddenly viewed as the stern drill sergeant when it seems that just yesterday your child never wanted to leave your side. The time has come to let go a little bit, but your first goal is to protect. Here are some practical tips that I have learned, first from years of teaching teens, now as the parent of one:

1. Don't just talk about drug abuse in general terms; discuss what it means to abuse ANY drug - over-the-counter, prescription and illegal.

Chances are your teen has already sat through a few years of Health class where the topics cover marijuana, cocaine, tobacco, etc. Although I approve of such classes and taught a year of Healthy Choices myself, I also know that real-life choices of drugs for teens are usually of the over-the-counter and prescription variety. These (especially OTC) are extremely easy to obtain and are the preferred drugs amongst middle-schoolers who partake. The thirteen-year-old mindset goes something like this - It's not illegal and I take it when I am sick so that I get better (or my parent takes it). Therefore, what is the harm in taking a few more than I am supposed to? Won't I feel even better?

As an adult, you are probably discounting that rationale, but believe me, I have heard that excuse from more than one user. Talk to your child about use versus abuse. I wish I had known more about this phenomenon when I taught that Health class.

2. Be honest with your teen about sex.