April is alcohol awareness month and it’s time to evaluate how you’re communicating with your kids 

As your child gets older, he or she may look to you less and less for insight, especially on sensitive topics like drugs and alcohol use. However, to help your child make wise decisions when confronted with these temptations, you should establish a dialogue along with open communication in your household. Read on for communication tips.

  • Create open communication in your home. Your teen may be more willing to discuss uncomfortable topics with you if you have already established an environment of open communication.
  • Listen when talking with your child. Show your child that you are extremely interested in what he or she is saying and want to learn about his or her life.
  • Create moments to talk one-on-one. Since both of your schedules may be hectic, make a point to schedule time for you to spend time with your teen to talk, such as going for a walk, shopping or going out for dinner.
  • Conduct family meetings on a regular basis. Hold regular family meetings in which members of the family can discuss what is on their minds and discuss any pressure that kids are facing at school.
  • Act out example scenarios. To prepare your kid for the potential peer pressure situations he or she may run into with others, act out scenarios in your home.
  • Encourage your teen. Throughout every aspect of his or her life, encourage your teen to succeed to the best of his or her ability.

Healthy Hints
Teens get a lot of information about drug and alcohol usage from their peers; however, parents can still be a beneficial resource for them by explaining why these activities are detrimental to their health and well-being.

For more information on how to keep your teen alcohol- and drug-free, visit www.nfp.org.