leeanne

This is another topic that scares me half to death. Believe it or not, kids in elementary school are being introduced to drugs by other kids who are trying to sell them, etc.

Gosh, it makes me sick to my stomach.

Does this scare anyone else?

I am hoping to have an honest and open relationship with my children so that they will not be afraid to come to me whenever something happens, when they've experienced (or want to experience) something, etc.

We all know that most kids will experiment with sex, drinking, and possibly drugs. We can't lock them in an attic until they are 30

Unfortunately, some that do experiment become hooked. I've seen far too many addictions in my life and I so hope that none of my children fall into the trap!

Sarah88

I disagree... If you get a good lock and a big enough attic then they can stay in there all their life hehe.
That is something that im petrified about too, but i am also hoping for an honest relationship, and I will also let them know of my experimentations. My OH is also using laser to quit smoking this month so hopefully my child will grow up in a smoke free environment.

nikky0907

Well,I live in a completly drug free environment...It's the kind of town that doesn't have problems with that...But it still scares me...

You can only raise your kids the best you can and let them know that they can tell you anything and you won't judge them...And I'm sure that you are a good enough mother to do that...

But Sarah's solution is good too...A big attic and a strong lock(they should be handing them along with the cribs)...maybe a nice view on the park...
xxx

leeanne

about the attic!

The drugs around here are bad and in abundance. That's the problem with higher populated cities It sounds like you live in a fantastic town and a wonderful one to bring a child up

marley2580

My mum was completly honest with us about her drug taking and educated us about how to take drugs safely if we decided we wanted to. I don't touch them, the most my sister has done is dope and my two brothers experiment from time to time, but tend to do so safely (well, as safely as they can). I think that honesty is the best policy and that you should educate your children fully about drugs and alcohol - just say No is not, in my opinion, a realistic thing to ask of young people.

nikky0907

Yes,it's very family oriented here.
Unfortunatly,populated cities do have a problem with drugs and peer pressure,but It doesn't mean that a child growing up there can't turn out worse than a child growing up in a smaller town.

I personaly wouldn't agree with Marley about drugs...I find them harmful(although experimenting when you're young is ''normal'') and I wouldn't want my child to take them,even if it's only occasionally...

cheeky_carrie

Drugs around here are really bad , Im terrified that my kids will get involved in it Ive seen and see a lot of people effected by it not just taking them but the families of the people taking them at breaking point

My 12 year old came home just before Christmas saying he had tried a cigarette because his friends were all smoking! I was so shocked but really happy he had told me.

He shouts at everyone I know for smoking as my Mum died of a very rare disease that effected her breathing (it was a very rare severe form of asthema) she hadnt even smoked one cig in her life and had this awful thing that meant she needed a lung transplant but then her body was too weak to have the op so he had seen all the videos and booklets about what happens when you smoke etc as they were all over the place in the hospital as it was full of lung cancer patients that were still smoking!!

But yet peer pressure led him to have one, so Im now thinking will this happen for everything? oh just try this and he will ?!?!?!? its so hard trying to shield them from everything I just hope if he does try anything he will tell me and not get hooked............ god bein a mum is soooo hard!!!!

Rachiebaby24

Depends on the child too..... my mum has smoked weed all my life.... my older brother smokes it but hasnt tried anything else and my sister used to smoke weed (she thought it was sending her deranged and stopped it! (she is a bit of a hypochondriac, if he has a headache its a tumour ) so she only smokes cigarettes but has tried pills and stuff and me? never touched a ciggie or drug in my life!!!

TashaAndBump

Actually she may have been onto something and I'm so glad she stopped - I know so many people who have taken weed regularly and then completely changed - a friend of mine, after smoking weed, just completely stopped caring about the things she used to devote her life to - she abandoned her kids, but before taking this stuff she was the most loving and devoted mother you could imagine - they were such a happy, love-filled family... She just switched over night to being someone who described herself as "tired and jaded" of parenting, and left her kids in England while she swanned off overseas!! My father actually developed full-blown schizophrenia after smoking cannabis... of course we can never know if he would have developed it anyway but I doubt it - the doctors said that he probably had a tendency towards schizophrenia that the drug just unlocked or something... Anyway, the effects of cannabis on the mind are still largely unknown but it is proven, and the general understanding is, that it can have severe and irreversible effects on a persons character and mental state... And for that reason among others I am so glad your sister has stopped taking the stuff.

Rachiebaby24

I definately think it changed something in her....she used to smoke it ALOT and she used to get soooo depressed on it. She used to say to me "what is life worth living for" and get really down....then she started getting really bad headaches and the doctor told her its from smoking too much weed and being the hypochondriac that she is, we all played on it telling her it not good and she gave it up and hasnt touched it for 3 years....she is now thinking the same thing about cigarettes and we are hoping she gives up on them soon too.....

my mum hasnt had any problems as such and she has smoked it for over 20 years but i would say that it makes her lazy and uncooperative....there are days when she just cant be bothered to do anything and other people have said it makes you unmotivated....

I wouldnt say that the way i was brought up...i just was never interested in drugs or cigarettes...maybe cos i was around them i never became intrigued by them.. i dunno....i just think as long as you show your kids the effects of them then you cant really stop them making their own choices...i tell my little brother the ins and outs....he has asked me why i dont smoke and i told him that my health is more importnant and also how expensive it is....at the moment he can think of better things to spend his pocket money on!!