Straight Dope for Parents

Get Informed

PREVENT

Parents, you have the power to influence your children to make good choices—sensible, healthy choices—throughout their teen years. Steering your kids away from alcohol and drug use will not only help give them a healthy childhood, it will also set them on the road to a healthy, productive, satisfying, and happy life as adults.

• Be a Hands-On Parent
• Talk to Your Kids
• Eat Meals Together

RECOGNIZE

There are certain factors that make kids more tempted to smoke, drink and use drugs. If you know what these factors are, and what to do about them, you can help keep your children drug free.

• What Do I Need to Know to Protect My Kid?
• Where Do Kids Get Drugs?
• How Do I Prepare My Kids for College?

CONFRONT

As a parent, you are uniquely positioned to detect the early signs of drug use. If you suspect that your child is drinking or using drugs, don’t ignore the signs. Intervening and ending the behavior early significantly reduces the risk that your child’s use will lead to harm—an accident, poor school performance, legal problems, brain damage, or addiction.

• Watch Out for the Signs and Symptoms of Use
• Take Action If You Think Your Child Is Using
• Find Out Where to Get Help

LEARN MORE

Use these links to find more information about prevention and parenting tools, prevention for specific ages and substances, the science of addiction and more.

Confused about the difference between addiction and dependence? Browse the glossary of common terms.