Post: Parents Need to Talk to Teens About Tough Topics -- And Everything Else
Parents Need to Talk to Teens About Tough Topics -- And Everything Else
Uh oh.
According to a survey released last week, the majority of parents report that it's hard talking to their kids about everything from friends to drugs -- and they say they have an even harder time discerning if kids are listening.
From the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy's press release on the VitalSmarts survey:
"The survey shows that a majority of parents (57%) admit to having some degree of difficulty in getting their teens involved in meaningful conversations about their concerns, such as who their friends are, how they dress, and how school is going. An even greater number of parents (74%) have difficulty getting their teens to respond to these concerns and are not sure their teens are even listening when they do talk.
And when it comes to tough topics, like drug use, most parents (52%) admit to some degree of difficulty with those conversations. Even more troubling is that parents know drugs are part of a teen's world today. More than half of parents surveyed (56%) believe their teen goes to parties where drugs are available and nearly half of parents (48%) believe their teen has friends who use drugs. Despite that, few parents are doing anything about it."
An open letter from the Office of National Drug Control Policy's Web site reminds parents that its their job to talk to their kids about drugs. The advice? For starters, set clear boundaries for your kids, tell them the facts, and avoid accusations.
And here's a Common Sense reminder: Sure, talking about drugs, and parties, and your kids personal lives can be awkward -- and potentially explosive. But media can help you get started. Shows and movies with more adult content provide opportunities to talk about controversial or sensitive topics like sex, drinking, and violence.
Click here to get tips for turning TV into teachable moments.