When I Was Your Age
Mr.M's best friend is in crisis. His friend has a 15 year old daughter. His daughter told him she was going to walk to the store with her friend to get some candy. She showed up four hours later drunk.
Last year they found cocaine in her bedroom. When asked why she was doing coke she said it was because her back hurt. While this might have worked (probably not) with most parents as an excuse it most definitely won't work when both of your parents are recovering drug and alcohol addicts. Both parents have been sober for over 15 years. Spoke to their children very frankly about drugs and alcohol always.
So what went wrong?
Maybe she wasn't in enough after school activites. Maybe it's genetic. Maybe she wasn't paid enough attention. I don't know the answer.
What I do know is that I didn't take a drink of alcohol until I graduated from highschool and I never did a drug, ever. I did my share of sneaking out - only to TP someone's house or carouse about town. Never to drink. Sometimes to get laid. hehehe.
So if I should have a child - how do I teach them?
I guess that's the million dollar question. If there was a fool proof answer - Mr.M wouldn't be over their trying to get his friend to unlock the office door and talk to him. That's right, he's locked himself in. Doesn't know what to do - just froze.
Which is why I'm writing this and not snuggling with my man.
posted by Suzanne @ 11:58 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
If someone has a magic answer on how to raise children to stay away from drugs and alchohol, I'd love to hear it. All I can do as the parent of a teenager (OMG how did THAT happen)is be honest, teach them everything I can, be understanding that they'll make mistakes, punish them appropriately when they do, and listen. Hopefully they'll be willing to talk.
Yeah, sometimes you can do everything right in teaching your children, but in the end they have to find out some things on their own. The best you can do is be the parent that they need you to be and not the "friend" that you think will make them like you more.
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