As a parent, how do you find a teen drug prevention strategy that actually sinks in?
We don’t have to tell you that adolescent drug and alcohol abuse is a rising problem. In fact, some medical experts have called teen drug use the greatest single health issue in the United States.
As a father, sometimes I don’t know exactly how to reach my kids. There are times when I feel if I don’t say what I need to in a text or hashtag, I’m not going to get through.
Our children live in a world in which they’re bombarded with messages, coming at them instantly from every angle.
I can’t help but worry that the right ones won’t get through all the noise. I know this concern is shared among many parents — particularly with regard to alcohol and drug abuse. With social media exacerbating the glamorization of substance abuse in traditional media, how do we make sure positive messages still get through?
We need to find the right opportunities to talk about how we can help push prevention messages to our children. And I’m not talking about shoving images of the effects of drugs and alcohol into their faces.
Natural High’s message is a positive one:
It encourages youth to discover, amplify and pursue their natural highs so that they can say no to artificial ones.
Rather than barking the “just say no” message, or using ineffective scare tactics, we seek to inspire kids to “say yes” to their natural highs, and that if they do, they will be much more likely to reject drugs.
But that’s not all. We as an organization — and as parents — need to keep ourselves updated on the forms of communication our kids are using. We need to evolve our own communication methods in order to reach them in a way that they will best hear us.
It’s a combination of innovation and involvement that will help our positive messages reach our kids.
Natural High’s proven teen drug prevention strategy includes 5 techniques you use to help your teen stay away from drugs and alcohol, plus one simple conversation starter coming from the people teens care about — from celebrities and influencers who matter most to middle schoolers and teens. Famous, timeless, and deeply respected in their fields, our roster of Storytellers includes musicians, actors, and athletes alike.
Related article: Facts on Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse in America
Speak their language.
It’s hard, I know, but embracing tools like social media and technology will help us level with our children and be more present in their lives. They are operating in a world of instant information and instant gratification. They’re online, they’re on iPads, they’re on Instagram.
