Helping a Child Say "No" to Drugs

No matter where children grow up or who their friends are, nearly all of them will be confronted with bad ideas – ways of testing limits, getting into trouble, and doing things they will regret later.  Some of these ideas will involve drugs.  There are many ways to prepare children to succeed in saying "no" to tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.

• Start talking to children about drugs when they are young.  Keep talking to them as they transition from elementary school to middle school to high school.
• Teach children to "role play" saying no to drugs.  Help your child practice what she/he will say when someone pressures them to try alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
• Stay involved in your child's daily life by encouraging positive interests and monitoring activities.  Make sure that your child's life is filled with positive things so that drugs have no place in it.  After school activities like youth groups, arts, music, sports, community service, and academic clubs are a good way to engage children from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
• Make sure children who are at home without supervision feel your presence.  Give them a schedule.  Give them chores to complete.  Leave notes for them around the house.  Provide easy-to-find snacks.
• Know the parents of your child's friends.  Exchange phone numbers and addresses.  Make a pact to not allow any of the children to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs in your homes.  Agree to notify each other if a child breaks the pact.
• Call parents whose home is to be used for a party.  Be assured that no alcohol or other drugs will be provided.  You may want to even check out the party to make sure that adults are supervising activities.
• Make sure your child can easily leave a place where drugs are being used.  Discuss in advance how to contact you to get a ride home. 
• Set curfews and enforce them.
• Encourage your child to talk about their experiences.

From "Growing Up Drug-Free.  A Parent's Guide to Prevention."  For more information, call Clallam County Health and Human Services at 417-2366. If you are calling from the west end, dial 374-5324 and ask for Human Services.

Contact the Health Department with questions or comments about the information on this page.