Pubdate: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 Source: Decatur Daily (AL) Copyright: 2002 The Decatur Daily Contact: http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696 Author: Bayne Hughes, DAILY Education Writer KNOWLEDGE, CARING ARE KEYS TO PARENTAL DRUG AWARENESS Knowledge is the key to life - your child's life if you want to keep your son or daughter off drugs. "One of the biggest things is getting involved with your kids and have the knowledge of the things they do," Decatur City Schools Resource Officer Greg Cain said Monday night at a parent-training program at the Decatur Utilities auditorium. The program was the first of two sessions aimed at helping parents develop better skills for interaction with children, learn about peer pressure and identify potential drug use. Cain said parents have to be concerned and involved in a child's life. If a teenager wants to spend the night with a friend, he would call the friend's parents to make sure the teen is actually staying the night. "You don't have to do it in a confrontational way," Cain said. "Ask them who is going to be there, what they need to bring, and if they need to bring food." Or, for a latch-key child, a term used for one who is home alone from the time school gets out until a parent gets off work, he suggests having a neighbor check on the child, or taking off early and surprising the child occasionally. Cain suggested developing routines early in a child's life that carry through into the teenage years. For example, the parent who begins checking a child's backpack in kindergarten for teacher notes can continue that practice without raising suspicion. This gives the parent the opportunity to look for signs of drug use or other problems without raising suspicion. According to Cain, parents should stay in contact with teachers and principals, which is important not only for drug awareness but also for a student's education. Often these adult figures notice a child's problems before a parent does. "My child knows that I talk to her teachers all of the time, and that I've got all of their phone numbers and e-mails," Cain said. Most importantly, don't ignore the red flags of drug use or other problems, like changes in behavior, dress, sliding grades, new friends, etc. Often a parent becomes detached from a teen and isn't aware of all of the aspects of his or her life. "Too often I hear, 'My child wouldn't do that,' and they ignore all of the warning signs," Cain said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake