"The issue isn’t about your past–-it’s about your children’s future. What’s important now is that your children understand that you don’t want them to use drugs.”

For many parents, their child’s, “Did you ever use drugs?” question is a tough one to answer. Unless the answer is no, most parents stutter and stammer through a response, and leave their kids feeling like they haven’t learned anything—or, even worse, that their parents are hypocrites.

Kids need to hear a truthful and confident answer from their parents. As parents, don’t underestimate the impact that you have on your kids’ decisions.

Yes, it’s difficult to know what to say. You want your kids to follow your rules and you don’t want them to hold your history up as an example to follow—or as a tool to use against you. But the conversation doesn’t have to be awkward, and you can use it to your advantage by turning it into a teachable moment. It can provide a great opportunity to speak openly about what tempted you to do drugs, why drugs are dangerous, and why you want your kids to avoid making the same mistakes you made.

For concrete examples of what to say and how to make the most of this opportunity, go to http://www.timetotalk.org/ParentTalkKit/#

Corporal Marty Kooiman
DOCAS Coordinator
Nelson, BC

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