"I never did very well in math - I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn't meant my answers literally."Calvin Trillin
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What High School Students Should Do Over the Summer
There are so many options for summer activities, no wonder it can be difficult to know where to begin. While reviewing how IvyWise students have spent their summers, I noticed that their plans fell under six basic categories. I included the a few ...
What Is Homeschooling And How Do I know If It's Right For My Family?
Do you know what these famous people have in common? Alexander Graham Bell George Patton Albert Einstein Benjamin Franklin Winston Churchill Agatha Christie George Bernard Shaw Will Rogers If you guessed that they were all homeschoolers, you'd be ...
Why Other Children are Rejecting Your Child
Introduction Developing healthy peer relationships is critical for the normal development of a child. Peer relationships have been found to be an important predictor of positive adult adjustment and behavior. Difficulty in finding friends leads to ...
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Did you know that over 75% of teens aged 16-17 report that obtaining marijuana is "easy or fairly easy?" Or that 25% of youths between 12 and 17 say the same of crack?
When children start using drugs they usually exhibit many different signs that parents need to watch out for. Unfortunately, many parents often write-off these signs as normal adolescent behavior and as a result they don't realize that their child is into drugs until it is too late. How can you as a parent know for sure whether or not your child is in danger of falling into drugs? Know that every child is in danger of this. Parents who fail to recognize this will stay in this state of denial till their son or daughter is arrested or overdoses -- and by then it is too late. So what should you as parents be looking for as signs that your child is experimenting with drugs or alcohol?
§Dramatic changes in attitude or personality.
§New friends who may exert peer pressure on your child.
§Problems at school, such as falling grades or increased tardiness.
§Increased withdrawal, depression, or secretiveness.
§Changes in sleep patterns.
§Increased or decreased
appetite.
§Dilated, red, or glossy eyes.
§Escalating verbal or physical abuse.
§Dramatic mood swings.
§Need for additional money.
Drug use can lead to a host of significant health, social, learning and behavioral problems at a crucial time in a young person’s development. Getting high also impairs judgment, leading to risky decision making on issues like sex, criminal activity or riding with someone who is driving high.
If you believe that your child may be using alcohol or drugs, don’t overreact. Some of the warning signs listed above may be normal for your teen and some signs may have other causes. One cannot ignore the reality of teenage drug and alcohol abuse, however, so the presence of three or more of these warning signs should prompt a discussion with your teen and an evaluation of whether professional help is needed. For more advice, or to locate the right treatment facility for you, contact your pediatrician or call the Center for Substance Abuse Referral Help line at 1-800-662-HELP.
About the Author
Nicole Brownfield
71 County Road 269
Stevenson, AL 35772
(256) 437-8788
jnb8788@aol.com
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