I was sitting here and thinking... I have been writing about drugs and teens here on Minti for a little while now... I started writing on these because I have teenagers and from what they tell me and what I remember from my teen years they are very relavent to parenting... I think when we are armed with all the information we can get we can be better prepared for the outcome if one of our kids ever falls victim to experiementing ... Or even worse hooked...

I have had a bit  to do with other parents... At the schools my kids attend and also my childrens friends parents and usually form some kind of friendship with some and get into discussions on topics that are happening at the time...I have found myself regularly talking with other parents about drugs and teens and sex and teens and I am really suprised at the attitude of some parents... One of the mothers was talking to me and the conversation turned to the fact  that both our children were hanging with the same group who were known to be using drugs... We chatted a bit about it and her comment to me was well I do not have the problems with my child because I have told them to stay away from them they are dangerous and she will.. Okay I thought to myself and went on into the next part of the conversation with the fact I had discussed with Aidan the fact that drugs were dangerous in general and to him in particular because of psychosis and the fact that he has a mental illness makes him have a higher chance of this... I told her I told him of the effects and told her of my writing about the drugs on Minti... Her reaction to me was one I was shocked with and I didn't know what to say when she turned to me and said...

Angie you are just giving him a reason to want to try these drugs... That is like going and buying him condoms... You are saying to him here Aidan this is what it will do to you so this is the precautions you need to take if you do do them... So you are telling him it is okay... He will try them Angie and my child will be to scared to because they do not know enough about it to try...

I didn't say anything to her then about it... I just walked away and thought how ignorant she was taking the attitude if I ignore it it will go away... When It comes to teens growing up and experiementing this is not always true... There are teens out there who do not experiement but they are few and far between and because of the relationship I have with my son I have my suspicions about my friends child too...

Ignoring the fact that there are drugs out there in this day and age is not going to guarantee your child will not try them... I read and soak up every little piece of information I can find on drugs and actually talk very openly with my teens about them especially Aidan as he is just that bit older than the others...We do discuss it but just not to the same depths YET... I think the more information that is out there the better off our kids are... There are some nasty drugs out there... Aidan knows all to well along with a whole lot of teens in this area what affects drugs can have on you and your mind...

Here is my thoughts on the whole thing... If we do not arm our kids with the information they need to know about these drugs then this is the same as handing them the impliments... Teens need to know all about these things and yes it is no guarantee they will not try them... BUT If they are informed they can then make an informed decision when the peer pressure is on... Because when the kids tell them they won't hurt them just try it I want my kids to know thats not true...Fore warned is fore armed...

A minti member cammented on one of my articles about drug once and I think she is very wise in her choice of words...

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER and I want my kids to have the power to say no...

Just my thoughts
Have a great day
Cheers
Angie