Is Good Parenting Crucial In Eradicating Drug Menace?
The most influential people in a person’s life are the people who one grows up with. Whether it be parents, or guardians, or same-aged peers. Family is considered as the first environmental factor for developmental changes, especially the effective emotional, and social development of children. The values instilled by these people are the ones that stick throughout one’s lifetime. For better or for worse, they are also the determining factor that influence the paths and turns one indulges in through their journey of life. Individual, family, peer, school, community, and societal levels all play a major role in determining the mindset and the perspective of an individual. This is especially true owing to the fact that the mind at a tender age, and even in teens is very prone to manipulation. It is considered to be adventurous and immature. One can get credulous and believe in wrong things via a wrong influence.
Youth is considered the most vulnerable section of the population, not because they are any less informed rather because they are the target audience for negative influencers to instil ideas. They are very easily misled using clever incentives. They are at a much higher risk of falling prey to the drug mongers and having a drug use problem later in life.
Answering the question, yes, Good parenting plays a crucial role in eradicating the drug menace. This is not to be confused for strict parenting or restricting the child’s life. The intention here is to promote parenting which involves providing exposure to the difference between right things and wrong things, teaching the child the consequences, and giving reasons as to why something is wrong instead of forcing the idea like a rule. The problem with enforcing ideas as rules, no matter how right it may be, is that any child is tempted to rebel and flout the rules; explaining the cause and effects of something makes the child more aware of the parents’ perspective and is more inclined to abide by the idea.
An authoritative parenting style is the most convenient and the most effective approach to a non-toxic yet controlled household. It provides a combination of logical support and limitation for the child and includes a warm & affective relationship and suitable supervision on the child, which can hugely help in preventing the child from resorting to drugs at a later age.
Middle school is about the right age that a parent can talk to their child about the dangers of substance use and caution them against it. This is the age where they are not exposed to the environment yet, but soon will be. Parents have a major impact on a child’s decision not to use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. It is important to teach children how to say “NO” and how to politely refuse something. They must also be taught how to maintain good company and not to feel pressured to do something out of peer pressure. It is also important to correct any misconceptions and generalised opinions the kid may have such as “drugs are not harmful” or “all my peers drink”. Youth who have peer groups who use drugs are more likely to use drugs themselves, and the peers are also the source of the drugs. Friends can also serve as role models for drug-using habits, helping to form attitudes and positive associations with drugs, as well as normalise drug use.
Early adolescent substance use is associated with a variety of negative adult outcomes, including unemployment, dysfunctional family roles, educational failures, and continued drug use. Drug usage in adolescent ages is associated with a lot of impact on different aspects of health including biological, environmental, or psychological. Traits like low self-esteem, aggressive behaviour, poor mind-body coordination, inability to concentrate, inferiority complex are some visual changes one can see with drug usage. Also, drug usage by parents raises the likelihood of their children resorting to or trying out drugs. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the increased risk of addiction. Families with an addicted parent are also dangerous, erratic, messy, and disorganised. Parents who misuse substances have fewer parenting skills as well as less control and oversight over their children.
It is hypocritical of the parent to expect their child to abide by their “no-drugs” policy if they indulge in substance abuse themselves. Hence, one needs to control themselves and keep themselves in check, to provide and contribute for a better and a drug-free life in their offspring.
Overall, good parenting plays a crucial role in eradicating drug menace. If you doubt that your ward had already fallen prey to drugs, please feel free to contact a well known rehab for treatment.
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