What do I say?

Question

How and when should I talk to my kids about consequences of drug use? They are 7, 4 and 10 mos. There is a scary bad batch of heroin going around and people,(young people) are dying and overdosing. I saw first hand drug use in my family and friends growing up. Neither me or my husband do drugs. We smoke cigarettes and go out for drinks maybe once a year. I am very scared. Terrified for my kids. Not now but later. Does drug use skip a generation? Will they know that it is bad without seeing first hand the effects? No one ever talked to me and I decided on my own not to do drugs. If I talk to them will they purposely do it to spite me. If I talk to them am I giving them ideas? I am so lost on this subject. Please answer I am very scared.

Answer 1

NOW!
Be very sweet and point out every user you know! My kids came home telling me I was a Drug user because I smoked cigarettes. I did not argue, I agreed that cigarettes are BAD! Don't stop talking!

Answer 2

You better watch out for that ten month old, it is common for children that age to become CRACKHEADS!!

Just kidding...I know that's not funny.

Anyways, I'd be more concerned about teaching them about cigarettes. That is the worst drug of them all, because anybody and everybody can become addicted to them. I quit a week ago, and I grew up knowing they were bad and never thought I would ever smoke them.

But you need to wait until they are a little older before talking to them about drugs. Sixth grade, depending on the kind of kid they are.

If they hang out with a bunch of friends a lot, they are more likely to start doing drugs. If they spend time alone or with just a few friends sometimes, they probably don't even know what drugs are.

But it's normal for kids to eventually experiment with drugs, especially marijuana.

Answer 3

I am also scared about this too. I look around and see that drug use in youths today are bad. I'd probably start talking to my kids at around 11 or 12. But I won't be doing this for another 7 years so I'm dreading the day I have to talk to my children about this. I don't think by telling them they would despite you it just shows them that you care enough to tell them about drugs and what it can do to you.

Answer 4

I started discussing stuff like that with my kids when they were quite young. Maybe not as young as yours are now. But by the time they were 10. We discussed drugs and alcohol, sex, stds, pregnancy, peer pressure - everything. I found that by discussing stuff like that from an early age, they grew up knowing. There were no shocks and because we were so open they felt safe and comfortable to come to me and talk about anything anytime.

Answer 5

sometimes i think it runs in the family as well....my mom was a drug addict...my brother is an alchohalic....and drug addict still...and i am a recovering drug addict...i have 3 years sober :)

but i dont think it skips generation...
but i think it depends on how well you teach your children about these things.....
wait until there old enough to really understand...like 7th grade....but if you smoke cigerettes and they see you do it...most likely they will do the same thing when they are older

Answer 6

YOU SHOULD TALK TO THEM WHEN THEIR OLD ENOUGH TO LISTEN.