How to talk about drugs and alcohol with teenagers
Jessica Mitchell • February 24, 2022
Talking about drugs and alcohol is a difficult conversation for any parent. In the UK, the average age for a child to have their first alcoholic drink is 13 years old; This first drink usually occurs in a family setting. In 2019, the NHS published the Statistics of Drugs Misuse that found in 2018 of the 15-year-old children asked, 30% of them believed it was ‘OK’ for them to try drugs.
Preparing to Talk About Drugs & Alcohol with teenagers
Considering the above statistics, it can be a difficult conversation for parents and carers to have with their young.
If you are preparing to talk with your children about drugs and alcohol, then read up on the facts using reputable resources. There are lots of online guides available on such sites as FRANK and Adfam.
Talking About Drugs & Alcohol with teenagers
So, you’ve done your research and you are calm and poised for the conversation, what’s next?
- Values – let them know what you think about alcohol and drugs. Give them your stance, be clear on your opinions and let them know your boundaries.
- Try not to scare your teen – scare tactics aren’t the best way to talk about the conversation. Be open, transparent and non-judgemental in your approach, so that your child feels safe in opening up to you.
- Learn about your children’s friends – peer pressure can impact a child's behaviour and sometimes not for the better. Look to get to know your child’s friends and allow them to come round to your house. It will help you keep an eye on your child whilst showing your interest in their lives. If your child decides to change friendship groups because of alcohol and drug influences, you need to make sure you give them enough support through this.
- Make sure your teenager knows that you are on their side – your child needs to know that you will always be there for them. By showing this support and love, it will help them to be honest with you. It stops them from saying what they think they want you to hear.
- Never give up – if your child argues, storms off, or even gets embarrassed, never give up. Talk to them when they are calmer, and children always value the opinions of their guardians or parents.
- Realistic – in the UK, lots of children experiment. Only a small percentage of those will develop an addiction.
- Responsibility – you are wanting your child to make good decisions, that’s obvious. But let them know that they can say no to this.
We hope you have found this useful. We work with several children and young people who are looking for a role model in a volunteer mentor. If you would like to shape the life of a child or young person then take a look at our volunteer opportunities by clicking here.
What interested you about becoming an Island Volunteer Mentor? I was interested in volunteering and personal development to enhance my career prospects. I was at a stage where I was confused as to where I wanted to go next but I knew I was good with people, and I knew that my personality would suit working one to one with a young person. I knew that I could pass on good advice and life experience. How long did you mentor for The Island? I mentored for around 15 months. Every week for around 2 hours on a Thursday night. Sometimes we would miss a session due to various factors, but these sessions were caught up on. What did you enjoy most about the Mentoring? I enjoyed being able to experience many different activities with my young person and being able to see their confidence grow. I enjoyed catching up and hearing stories from the week and focusing my attention on that session. Different social settings allowed me to guide my young person and relay stories from my experience which I knew would be helpful. This was enjoyable as I knew I was passing on vital helpful advice for adulthood. Why do you think Mentoring is important for young people? I think in today's world with social media and the stresses on life can be overwhelming for everyone. For a young person to be guided by a mentor, they can step away from that world for a short while and express themselves or let off steam in an environment where they can be nurtured and not judged. With the guidance of a mentor, the young person can take the advice into everyday life which will hopefully help them in difficult and stressful situations. The young person can build up a relationship with the mentor and know that they have trust in them to be able to openly talk about their feelings away from a family, friend it school setting. Please let us know how you have found the support from the island and which aspects you have found the most valuable? I found the support very good and easy to access. I knew that if I needed any support or advice, I could email or call my supervisor. I found the group sessions with other mentors helpful as we could come together and talk about our experience and use any advice in future sessions. Hearing stories from other mentoring experiences was highly valued. Has the Island supported you with any future plans personally or professionally? If so, could you share this with us? The island has kept in touch with me regarding several career opportunities throughout the mentoring process that I have considered. I know that I could sit with the island and discuss any plans if I needed to. Most of all, they have helped my confidence and gave me a platform to express myself and follow my goals which has put me in good stead for next move in my career as a health trainer. The skills and experience I have gained from my mentoring will be transferred over to this next role. At the Island, we are constantly looking for people who have the ability to listen, and who feel that they can develop a positive rapport with children and young people in an honest, challenging and non-judgemental way. All prospective volunteer mentors receive training, support and supervision. This covers such areas as communication, child protection, equal opportunities and often, in the process mentors learn more about themselves, too. To find out more about our volunteer opportunities please click here www.theislandyork.org
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