When You’ve Seen Something Suspicious
If you’ve detected suspicious behavior in your child then there probably is some reason for concern. However, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions, you should just approach your child openly and honestly. There are many reasons a child may act suspicious and while they usually do mean something is going on, it might not be what you think. It’s important to read up and recognize the signs of drug use such as pot, heroin, and cocaine http://therehabadvisor.com/cocaine-infographic/ so you can tell if they might have a problem.
When The School Has Problems
Schools will usually notify the parents when they have found a student dealing drugs or caught doing something else illegal. If this occurs it’s a great way to open a discussion with your child about these events and the consequences of them. Having another student being caught and disciplined for these actions can help them connect with the reality of the situation.
When Their Friends Have Issues
According to Stanley Martinson, “Today it’s easier than ever to detect when your child’s friends are having problems, usually through their social media accounts.” If you detect that your child’s friends are having issues or that your child has begun hanging out with the wrong crowd it might be the signal to talk to them about the tough topics such as sex and drug abuse.
When They’re At The Right Age
Regardless if a topic has not come up naturally, children should still have the difficult issues laid out for them by the time they are of the right age. Just because there has not been a good opportunity for the topic does not mean that the children do not need it discussed. The perfect time may never come, and if it never does you may never get the chance to properly educate your child about the difficulties of life.
When They Want To
If your child asks you about any difficult topics then that is the perfect opening to start a dialog. These topics are important, and when your child is becoming curious about them they need to be told everything, even if it’s awkward or confusing for you as a parent. If they cannot find the information from you, they will go somewhere else. You should consider your child’s curiosity a gift and be proud that they have a good enough relationship with you to come to you for the information first.