Parents
Advice

Drugs and alcohol are often something that parents of teenagers worry about.  The tips in this section give you some suggestions to help you deal with these issues.  We know that putting things into practice may be difficult, if you’d like to talk through anything please complete the contact box below and we will arrange for you to talk to an experienced, non-judgemental worker. Alternatively you can call the ReFresh team on (01482) 331059.  Your child doesn’t have to be working with us or agreeing to talk to anyone for us to support you.

Parents Matter

Parents have a major influence over their child’s approach to drugs and alcohol.  It helps to start talking to your child before they are a teenager, before drink, drugs or friends start making their decisions for them.

Pick Your Moment 

It’s not a good idea to talk to your child about drugs or alcohol when they are drunk, under the influence of drugs or have a hangover.  Wait until they are in a receptive mood and you are feeling calm.

Keep Talking

Use natural opportunities to discuss drugs and alcohol with your child, if something is shown on TV or on the news.  Get drugs into perspective and learn about different types and their effects.

Be Honest 

Be prepared to talk openly about your own attitude to drugs and alcohol.  Your child is bound to want to know about your experiences.

Parent Modelling  

You may want to consider the messages that you give to your child.  Young people learn as much from seeing what their parents do as from listening to what they say.  It is helpful to set an example for your child by creating some boundaries around your own use of alcohol.  That means staying within the recommended guidelines: Men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units per week on a regular basis, spread your drinking over 3 or more days of you regularly drink as much as 14 units in a week, if you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week. (Fourteen units is the equivalent to 6 pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.)

Spend Time Together

Set time aside to spend with your child talking and listening to them.  This doesn’t have to be long periods of time, little and often can be effective. 

Peer Influence

Many teenagers use drink and drugs because they think everyone else is doing it. Discuss this with your child and rehearse ways for resisting pressure with them.  

Being the Parent of a teenager is hard work 

Allow time for yourself and don’t feel totally responsible for your children’s choices.

One key thing to remember to say

Make sure that your child knows that your number one concern is for their safety.  Drinking alcohol or using drugs impairs their ability to make the right choices and leaves them vulnerable to dangerous situations.