Drug and alcohol addiction and abuse. Recognition. Prevention. Treatment

20/20 Parenting. Recognizing and mitigating early vulnerabilities and risk factors.

Older Child: 6 – 8

Parenting Your Older Child

Child development experts inform us that children begin to make their own decisions at approximately nine or 10 years of age. It follows therefore, that six to eight year olds may be in their last years of easily inspired cooperation. In hindsight, many of us have found this to be true.

Unfortunately, it is an unavoidable reality that it won't be long before your child is introduced to drugs and alcohol. Depending on where you live they can be available in elementary schools. The age of first use has also been dropping with some children starting as early as nine.

Your child will need to be strong emotionally, physically, mentally*, and spiritually to be consistently resistant to the intrigue of drugs and alcohol as well as to the influence of their peers. If your child has any weaknesses, especially hidden conditions of the heart and mind, it can take a year or two to adequately address them, even with their cooperation.

You will find articles below to assist in this, as well as in before-the-fact prevention of threatening events, situations, and behaviors that can weaken your child and lead to a future of self-defeating behaviors.

Keep in mind, however, that ultimately it takes an informed village to raise a successful child. Tell other adults in your child’s life about this site. And don't be hard on yourself if you feel that you have in some way let your child down. You did the best you could with the resources you had and you are about to discover more….

And for a really good laugh view Anita Renfroe, mom comedian at UTube. Then if you want to adopt a new more positive 24 hours script read or re-read "When You're About To Go Off The Deep End" by Kelly Nault which is now in its' second print.

*Please also visit "Potential Vulnerabilities" in the left menu for health information on the many, often confused and misunderstood, childhood 'mental' conditions.