The Elementary School Years:
Get educated about drugs, what they look like, and what their effects are. Make drug education a family priority.
Start communicating early and often. For example, ask open ended questions regarding how your kids feel about tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, illicit, and prescription drugs.
Set clear “no tolerance” boundaries for your children regarding substance abuse.
Take advantage of teachable moments, such as TV shows or song lyrics, to talk to your children about the harmful effects of drug use.
As your child begins to understand how their actions affect others, talk about how substance use affects more than just the person using them.
Introduce the concept of home drug testing to your child. Tell them you love them, care about their safety, and that you want to make sure they are adhering to the boundaries you have set for them.
The Middle School Years:
Keep up to date on the latest trends in drug use among young people and drug prevention techniques.
Be consistent. Consistently enforce other house rules as well, such as curfews and boundaries. And make sure both parents are sending the same message.
Know your kid’s room and their car as well. Look at them with a different set of eyes. No area is off-limits.
Explain how to use the home drug test as a way out of peer pressure;
“I can’t try that…, my parents may drug test me when I get home.”
Set a home drug test kit on the counter. Let it be the last thing your child sees before they leave the house.
Begin random and regular testing. Make it a part of the household routine before there is a problem, just like checking a report card.
Get to know your child’s friends and their parents. Don’t assume that other families
share your family’s values.
Explain the medical as well as cosmetic and social image consequences associated with substance abuse.
The High School Years:
Continue random testing using a trust but verify theme as a reward system with your children. Test negative, get more privileges, i.e. driving the car, a later curfew, etc.
Elicit the support of other adults who share your value system to mentor your teen (e.g., coaches, teachers, aunts, uncles, neighbors). Teens often hear messages best when they are reinforced by someone else.
Form a network of support with the parents of your child’s friends. Be particularly aware of overnight activities.
Talk about how substance abuse can affect their future, e.g. college, scholarships, getting certain jobs.
Stress the importance of being a good role model to their younger brother(s)/sister(s).
Keep close tabs on your liquor and medicine cabinets. Lock your liquor cabinet, and throw away old prescription medications that are no longer being used.