Category: Parenting

There are a multitude of effective substance abuse prevention interventions. Generally, these interventions involve family, school, and community.   Young children need to begin knowing about the dangers of drugs. Like anything else when educating kids, it should be fun, age-appropriate, clear, and concise.

Just like learning the ABCs when they were younger, there are consequences when a child does is not properly educated; they struggle to read and write.

As they age, they also learn other things and do dangerous things carefully, teaching them about consequences and responsibility.

Overall, it is the responsibility of parents to keep things light early on but begin to set boundaries, rules, and expectations, talk about specific dangers and immediate consequences and emphasize responsibility.

Here are four practical tips for educating your child about drugs.

One—Keep Things Age Appropriate, Especially for Toddlers

Many parents ask if they can lighten a heavy topic for younger children. Like anything else a child learns in life, it is about relating to them in a way they understand.

For example, 2 to 4-year-old children begin to learn about healthy food choices, vitamins, exercise, etc. Yet, they are also taught not to accept things from people who are not their parents unless they have permission.

Kids become curious about what their parents do, such as eating, drinking, or taking medications.

When your child becomes curious about these things, you may tell them you are taking medications to be healthy. At the same time, they are taking their vitamins to stay healthy and fit. You would even go as far as to tell them they would only take these things when their parent gives it to them.

Drug Education for Toddlers—Suggestions for Parents

• Toddlers can learn about healthy choices and what they can take and cannot take.
• Encourage them to care for themselves, teaching self control so they make healthy choices.
• Point out harmful chemicals and help them avoid dangerous substances.
• Keep medications locked in the medicine cabinet, and explain to them the dangers.
• Help them understand the difference between things that can hurt them and things that keep them healthy.

Two—Be Clear and Concise About Rules and Reasoning

There is no reasoning with a toddler, yet when children reach elementary age, they begin to discover things like their individuality and strong bonds with their parents and explore and discover everything new.

For example, children at this age begin to pay attention to their parent’s actions. In most households, a child will see an adult drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, cannabis, or take medication. Unfortunately, there are also circumstances where children see their parents using illicit drugs.

As a parent, you may explain to them that adults make decisions that are not always safe or healthy. Moreover, because an adult is using something like alcohol, tobacco, or medication, it does not make it safe for a child to use as you are still developing, and it could damage your development.

Finally, make a definitive rule about not smoking, drinking, or taking any medicine their parent does not give them. Explain to them that drugs and alcohol are dangerous physically and mentally, and underage drinking and tobacco use is illegal.

Drug Education for Elementary School Children—Suggestions for Parents

• Speak to your kids about the things they see on social media, television, or the movies. In addition, they may overhear something at school. Encourage them to speak about it and speak about how they feel.

• Discussions should be light and focused on the here and now. Anything past what is currently happening does not necessarily register with children at this age.

• Discuss differences between medicinal and illegal use, especially with narcotic prescription drugs or any medication found in the house. This is especially important with alcohol and cannabis.

• Be mindful of the message you are sending your children. Tobacco, vaping, and alcohol products are seen by most children early in life. Be clear with them these substances are harmful.
• Parents should always know who their child’s friends are and meet their parents.

• Solve problems with children together, which helps them find long-lasting solutions. Children need an opportunity to build confidence and resilience by making choices.

• Research innovative new ways of fighting substance abuse, such as the role of nutrition in substance use disorder prevention.

Three—Speak About Immediate Consequences, Not Just Punishment

Preteens and teens are just trying to fit into a world they know nothing about and are discovering. At one point, it used to be their friend’s opinions had the most influence on them. Unfortunately, social media now provides unwanted far-reaching, and often destructive views.

Preteens and teens are less likely to consider long-term consequences when making decisions. The long-lasting impact of decisions does not necessarily sink in until they are older, which makes threatening punishment pretty useless.

It is a good idea to speak about immediate consequences. When discussing the dangers of drugs and alcohol, be sure to relate it to things they care about at that age.

For example, kids at this will come across other teens selling drugs at school. Yet, they are likely hesitant to mention something. Other parents are speaking about it, which means you should make conversation and ask them if they want to talk about it.

Do not lecture or scold the child, but be inquisitive about how they feel. They may have questions about drugs and why kids their age are using them. They may also have questions about if drugs are dangerous. Answer everything honestly and even related to your experience; provide real-life examples.

Additionally, explain to them how drugs and alcohol would impact their life. For example, it would become difficult to achieve academic or athletic success; it may affect their personal hygiene or overall appearance.

Drug Education for Preteens and Teens—Suggestions for Parents

Heaven forbid you will ever need to seek teen drug treatment for your child.  Education about the consequences of drug use is the first step to prevention.

• Make sure they know the consequences of breaking rules are enforced. Overall, it is about setting boundaries early on.
• Maintain positive comments, especially during puberty. Focus on them improving their skills and learning from defeat and failure to become better.
• Help them understand the fantasy world of social media and how different it is from the real world.
• Make it clear you disapprove of all alcohol, vaping, tobacco, and drug use. Create opportunities to discuss your feelings about this.
• Let your child in on all things you find wonderful about them.
• Show interest in and discuss your child’s daily ups and downs.

Four—Explain Addiction and Emphasize Responsibility

Every child should understand addiction. Emphasize the difficulty of quitting using a substance after a person has started. Explain how some individuals cannot stop using drugs or alcohol, which leads to tragic consequences.

It is inevitable that when they reach legal age, they may likely try alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, vaping, or experiment with illegal drugs. Maintaining rules and expectations is vital, especially if they live with you. Emphasize responsibility and remind them of substance abuse, smoking, and drinking dangers.

Online Tips and Resources for Parents

SAMHSA, Parent and Caregiver Resources—Extensive information is provided, which includes fact sheets and brochures. It is easy to access and covers children, preteens, and teens.

KidsHealth in the Classroom – Free information for educators to help kids understand the dangers of drugs. They have resources from PreK through 12^th grade with age-appropriate links and activities.

Tips for Drug Safety Online – Tips for parents to help mitigate the risk associated with online activity. This resource focuses specifically on protecting teens from online drug dealers

One Choice is part of the Institute for Behavior and Health—Parents have access to informative tips and tools and access to other organizations.

Drug Prevention Resources is a Texas-based non-profit organization—That offers free downloadable tools for parents, teachers, and community members.

Foundation for a Drug-Free World—This organization provides extensive free tools and programs, online courses, and other resources for parents and anyone searching for drug education.

If you feel like you are in over your head, don’t be afraid to seek professional help, such as a child psychologist or therapist.

In Conclusion

Do not stop talking. When it comes to the health and safety of your family, this should be an ongoing discussion. It is not a one-and-done conversation. Yet, it does not have to be confrontational or a lecture. Check in frequently, keeps it light, and make sure they understand.

It is simply learning the alphabet one letter at a time. Once they understand the first letter, they move on to the next. Different methods are used to accomplish this, yet the result is the same. Gradually, it comes together and begins to make sense and is now part of everyday life.

About the author
Marcel Gemme has been helping people struggling with substance abuse for over 20 years. He started as an intake counselor for a drug rehabilitation center in 2000. With drug and alcohol problems constantly increasing, he utilized his website, Addicted.org, and community outreach to spread awareness. His primary focus is threefold: education, prevention, and rehabilitation.

When it comes to teaching your children, some things are easier than others. Teaching your kids to be nice to others and to eat their food before dessert is basic, but showing your progeny what electricity is, how it is used, and how they can save it is more difficult than teaching them other things.

However, with kids leaving lights on, playing video games all day, and leaving their electronics on, many households can save money by simply teaching your kids to conserve energy and work towards raising sustainable child.

Begin with Energy Saving Basics

If you start with talking about the basic of electricity, you can slowly teach your kids what they need to know about energy and how to save it. Explain to your kids that everything that plugs into the wall uses electricity and that leaving these things on costs money.

There are a few ways you can illustrate this point to your kids. Turning off the lights and turning them on and showing them that for the lights to come on, you need to pay for power. It is also helpful to make distinctions between objects that plug into the wall and objects that do not according to MoneyPug, a site used to compare energy prices. This is one way to make sure the connection between electronics working when they are plugged in and not working when they are not. Once your kids understand the fundamentals of electricity, there are many ways to make it fun and educational.

Make a Game Out of It

Making a game out of teaching your kids to conserve energy is one of the best ways to get it done. Not only is it one of the most effective, it is one of the most fun. When you show your kids that different objects require electricity and others that don’t, quizzing your kids can help them figure it out while making it fun. Show them a razor and an electric buzzer and ask them which uses power.

Another way to do this is to show them a broom and a vacuum to explain the same point. So do light bulbs and candles. Video games and board games. You can have your kids play a game to see who can save the most energy. Whoever wins can get rewards. Children everywhere like competition. When you create a game out of conserving energy, you will be able to make the efforts fun.

Creating an Educational Environment

While making a game out of energy conservation can be fun, you can also make it educational. If your kids are curious or like to learn, it is great to make your environment educational. There are so many options to help you figure out new ways to help the household save money on energy costs. You can use educational material that will provide new tactics and techniques to saver power and teach your kids good habits.

You can even find educational materials that provide month-to-month tools. Each season has benefits and disadvantages. You can learn how to conserve in the winter and how to get the most out of your savings in the summer. This could help you teach your kids how to understand what is important and what isn’t.

Another way to make it educational is to do activities with your kids to show them ways to conserve. Make a project out of building a household wind turbine. Take them to the store for solar panels. Do daily checks to see if things are on and what can be unplugged. When you are teaching your kids, you can make this whole process fun and educational.

Protecting the Environment

When kids think about making their world better, one of the issues they can understand and get behind is the saving of our earth.  In many ways, it’s become a youth movement. Therefore, saving energy becomes more than saving dollars and cents.  It’s about reducing green house gases and making a difference individually and collectively to reduce our carbon imprint.  Brainstorm with your kids ways we all can use less of a nonrenewable product or switch to using a composable one.  Most of the energy in our homes is non renewable.  The more we consume of anything, even food, has the potential to harm the environment.   Even something as simple as repairing your smartphone instead of buying a new one saves energy.  Still, in a consumer driven society repairing a product is more often about saving money than saving the environment.

How Teach Kids About Climate Change

Helping kids understand climate change is one thing, but teaching them how to act responsibly when it comes to their environment is another. Encourage your kids to take action by making changes in their own lives.  Climate change is real, and we need to start taking steps now to reduce our impact on the planet. But how can we teach our children to care about the future of our world? Refer to this kids climate guide as you get the conversation started with these strategies.

Begin With Yourself

One of the easiest ways to help your child learn about climate change is to be an example by making small changes in your life. You might choose to use less plastic bags at home, turn off lights when not needed, or even try to live car-free for a week. Then share what you are doing. This can be the beginning of a conversation where kids can ask questions as you discuss why it matters to do their part for the world.  Explain how humans impact the environment and how we need to work together to protect it.

Brainstorm Ideas

Kids are naturally curious and love learning new things. If you teach them about climate change early on, they will likely become more interested in environmental issues as they grow up. Encourage your children to come up with things they can do individual, and as a family, to make a difference.  For example, you can start recycling at home, plant trees, or donate money to organizations that fight climate change.

Share what you know together

It’s important to share what you know with others so they can learn too. There are lots of ways to help others learn about climate change. One of the easiest ways is through social media. Through your own Facebook account you could create a Facebook page for the family to post about climate change awareness.  Teach them how to do research online and post appropriate articles abotu the various aspects of saving energy and broader climate change topics. 

If their teacher asks for a book report or a science project and any subject, they could propose the topic of climate climate and how to saving energy reduces harm to the earth.  

Learning About Smart Grids

Conclusion

If you are trying to show your kids how to save energy, it is essential to speak to them in their language about issues that relate to them personally. Kids are particular and should learn the difference between needs and wants. It’s the basis of making good decisions as a consumer. Households in the West need to conserve more energy and work towards sustainability. Teaching kids how to be better people who live consciously will give them motivation to do their part.

Education empowers students to become responsible adults, who can effect change in their homes, communities, and the world. It starts with the basics of how to save energy in their personal lives. Learning about climate change and new smart technologies will give them the knowledge to advocate for energy saving government policies. The future of our world depends on it.

Additional Resources

• Read about saving energy in the home using smart technology.
• Discover how selling used college books can help save energy.

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” Margaret Mead.  Preschool is the first step to embarking on the journey of learning.  In easy language, preschool is learning before learning.  Here your little cotton balls know how to think and how to be respectful.

They also develop core skills like compromising, obedience, solving queries and many other core skills.

These are extremely important and act as a strong foundation for lifelong learning; you know learning never ends.

From small tasks like pouring their own juice into the bowls to bigger issues like making decisions- they learn and imbibe them all. So before looking for a preschool, you need to learn the importance of preschool.

So, let’s start the discussion here to have a better understanding.

5 Reasons Why Preschools Are Good For Your Child

Are you ready to admit your kid to one of the reputable preschools? As a parent, you must know why preschool is good for your child.

1. Finding Answers To Numerous Questions

When your child turns 4 to 5, they have stepped into the world of questions. At each and every moment, they will encounter hundreds of questions. Some are jewels, you know; they stoop you down to their level!

Their minds get flowed with numerous of them like:

• Do birds Fly?
• Do birds study like us?
• Mam, I don’t feel like counting anymore. Can I fly now?
• Green sky and yellow mountains and fishes flying high…can I do it like that? Hm?
• We don’t like milk. Why do you enforce us all the time?
• Do flowers sleep during the night when they are open all day?
• We are matured enough, you told me the other day, then let us do whatever we like, mom?

There are more “inquisitive” and creative questions, but they open the press of logic and inquisitiveness. You can’t face these missiles all the time. Why don’t you direct them toward the preschool teachers? They are trained to handle them.

2. Preschool Will Prepare Children For Elementary Schools

Do you feel immensely bothered by your child’s development of pre-maths and pre-literacy skills? You don’t need to do so.

When you enroll your child in a daycare preschool, it’s essential to choose a place that aligns with your educational values. For instance, at Victorum Learning Center, children are automatically exposed to a learning environment that not only prepares them for elementary levels but also focuses on their holistic development. This approach ensures that your kid receives the right foundation in these formative years.

You know, the basics need to be strong, but if your child doesn’t develop a sense of logic and understanding, he/she will not be able to cope with the stress of elementary mathematics and bigger challenges in life.

If you can not count properly, add or subtract, there is a high chance that you miserably fail in mathematics and other subjects developed around logic.

3. Social And Emotional Development

You know, your preschool helps your child develop the social and emotional aspects of your kids. While playing with their friends, they develop great virtues like sharing and caring.

They also explore their “self”. Every day they learn new things and enrich their soft minds. They also develop their emotional self-right from such a lower age group.

You need to know some of the important components when you talk about child development. These components include:

• Self-management.
• Self-awareness.
• Social awareness.
• Relation skill and
• Responsibility for decision-making.

When your kid starts developing themselves, they take their first step toward independence. That is a hundred folds better than asking mummy all the time. A great step, indeed! I hope you are getting some clarity on the importance of preschool in your child’s life.

4. Develop Picture And Reading Skills

Children develop a lot of core skills like reading and drawing. In a quality daycare preschool, the teachers track important lessons to the kids on drawing pictures and reading.

A child develops emotion right from their infancy.

They are great thinkers during this age. When they learn painting, they develop a visual perception of something. This helps generate a self-opinion about anything.

If a child develops an opinion, it works to eliminate confusion and build self-confidence.

In addition, they develop their spatial intelligence (visualizing shapes in the eye of the mind). These are important in future work in maths, technology, science, engineering and visual arts.

5. Being Independent

It is said that a nation is called the best that provides and safeguards liberty and independence to its citizens. If you don’t practice it, someday you will be under a despot.

This sense of liberty and independence must be developed from childhood. This is what is developed in a daycare preschool.

Such a massive idea should be developed right from the grassroots. In a daycare preschool, kids learn to make their own decisions. They practice it right through this age.

This, in turn, helps develop creativity, inquisitiveness, and inspire young minds to explore ideas. Independence is freeing oneself from the bondage of enclosed thoughts. This also helps your kid develop academically and socially.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions that come in this kind of discussion. These are important in building a good idea on a subject:

Q1: What Are Preschool Activities?

There is a wide range of preschool activities that a kid goes through. They include color sorting letters, pillow jumping, connecting dots with letters, art projects, alphabet knockdown, crocodile roundabout, feather tip in salt tray writing, magic letter painting- and many more. These really help develop a good thought process.

Q2: What Is The Purpose Of The Preschool Curriculum?

The ultimate aim of the preschool curriculum is to understand and analyze how much young children learnt in academic domains. This helps in literacy, language, mathematics and science.

Q3: How Can Preschool Help To Learn Fun?

Preschool helps to make learning fun by Incorporating games, creating group time, being open to creativity, and breaking up lessons and other ways.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that preschools are a great way of getting your kid developed over time. With preschools, you provide your child with a solid platform where they develop a lot of their skills. These skills are highly important to learn the basics and create an ecosystem of further development. They offer great benefits to your child and pave the way toward holistic development.

Additional Reading:

How to help your child do well in elementary school

Are you a first-time parent? If so, you may be wondering what you need to do before your baby arrives. There is a lot to prepare for, and it can be overwhelming. Don’t worry – we are here to help! In this blog post, we will discuss the most important things you need to do before your baby arrives.

Here are some tips and tricks to help make the process easier for you!

Make Sure You Get The Right Crib Size

When it comes to cribs, size does matter. You want to make sure you get a crib that is the perfect size for your baby. Otherwise, they may not be able to sleep comfortably or safely in it. To do this, you will need to know the dimensions of your baby’s nursery. Once you have these, you can start shopping for cribs! If you are unsure about what size crib to get, you can always ask your pediatrician for advice. They will be able to tell you the ideal size for your baby’s nursery.

Prepare All Must-Haves

Preparation is the key for a smooth transition. So, set up your baby’s nursery with a crib and changing table. Don’t forget to buy baby nappies, a good quality baby monitor, first aid kit, and a humidifier.

Don’t hesitate to take prenatal classes and read parenting books. This will help you prepare psychologically before the baby arrives. It is also crucial to plan for childcare, update health insurance, and consider financial adjustments. Furthermore, you also have to prepare a hospital bag with important documents.

Spend quality time with your partner and establish a support system of friends and family for emotional well-being. Set up a comfortable sleep environment for yourself and the baby, and consider a sleep schedule. Take care of legal matters by updating or creating a will and considering life insurance. Ensure the car seat is correctly installed in your vehicle well before your due date. Plan for postpartum recovery, including meals and support.

Baby Proof Everything

You need to babyproof everything before your little one arrives. This means getting rid of anything that could be a choking hazard, covering up any electrical outlets, and putting away any harmful chemicals. You also want to make sure that your childproofed doors and windows are installed properly. It’s also good idea to get some stair gates to keep your little one from getting into places they shouldn’t be.

Additionally, baby-proof your home by identifying sharp edges, small objects, and electrical outlets. Secure furniture by anchoring heavy items and installing edge bumpers. Place baby gates at stairs and doorways, and cover electrical outlets. Use cord organizers, install window guards, and secure cabinets with childproof locks.

By following these tips, you can help create a safe environment for your child before they even arrive. And once they’re here, you can rest assured knowing that you’ve done everything you can to prepare for their arrival. So go ahead and get started on babyproofing your home today!

Make Sure You Are As Healthy As You Can Be

Although having a baby is wonderful, it also presents many new emotional and physical challenges. To help you (and your baby!) navigate these changes, it’s important to make sure you are as healthy as you can be before your little one arrives.

Start by talking to your doctor about any concerns you have and getting up-to-date on all of your vaccinations. This is also a good time to start taking a prenatal vitamin if you haven’t already. Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise will help you feel your best during pregnancy (and beyond!).

If you have any chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, be sure to work closely with your doctor to manage them during pregnancy. Additionally, if you smoke, now is the time to give it up! Smoking during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for both you and your baby.

Moreover, regular detailed check-ups throughout your pregnancy are essential to ensure the health of both you and your baby. Lots of future mothers visit a private maternity hospital where they run all the necessary tests and keep a close look at the development of the baby. This can give you peace of mind as well as help your healthcare providers to identify any potential problems more quickly.

Taking care of yourself before your baby arrives will help ensure a healthy and happy pregnancy for both of you. So don’t forget to take care of yourself, too!

Make Sure You Have Pumps Ready

If you are breastfeeding, make sure you have pumps ready. You will need to pump every few hours to keep your milk supply up. It is also a good idea to have some stored in the freezer for when you go back to work or school.

Another thing to think about is childcare. If you plan on going back to work or school, you will need to find someone to watch your baby. This can be a family member, friend, or daycare. Make sure you do your research and visit the facility before making a decision. You should also have a backup plan in case your first choice doesn’t work out.

Make Room In The Fridge

Making room in the fridge may seem like a small thing, but it’s actually really important. When you have a baby, you’re going to need a lot more food than you think. You’ll need baby formula, breast milk, and food for your little one. Having enough space in the fridge will help you keep everything organized and easy to find.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to sterilize all of your baby’s bottles and nipples. This can be done by boiling them for five minutes or using a special bottle Sterilizer. You’ll also need to have a good stock of diapers on hand, as well as wipes and other changing supplies. It’s always better to be prepared than to have to run out to the store in the middle of the night!

Baby proof everything, make sure you are healthy, have pumps ready, and make room in the fridge.

Get Your Car Ready

Most parents focus on making sure they have everything at home to care for their baby.  Yet, for children born in a hospital, their first experience when you take them home is the car.  And when it comes to the car ride home, and many rides to come, it’s all about safety. Ensure your car is ready with changes your car needs when you have a child.  There is the obvious car seat installation, but proper installation can never be taken for granted and should be done well in advance so that you are familiar with all the safety features.

Schedule a thorough safety check for your car, including brakes, tires, lights, and seat belts. Ensure that all necessary repairs and maintenance tasks are completed before the baby arrives. Consider adding childproofing measures to your vehicle, such as window locks and door protectors. And stock your car with emergency supplies like a first aid kit, extra diapers, blankets, and non-perishable snacks.

In conclusion, there are a few things you should do to prepare for your baby’s arrival. You’ll have your hands full so it’s never too early to get started.  By following these tips, you can help make sure that both you and your baby are ready for the big day!

Additional Reads

• Spread the word about these special baby gift ideas.
• Everything a parent should know about baby teeth.