OCR Text |
Show Pear JOHNT by John Waterbury I i I I I I Question or commend regarding alcoholism, drug abuse, or the related life-problems may be sent to, 36 South State Street, 21st floor, Salt Lake City, Utah 841 1 1. These letters form the basis of the "Dear John" column. Dear Readers There's a growing concern about alcohol abuse and-or substance subst-ance abuse among teenagers, and while there are many symptoms symp-toms that appear during the development of these problems, few parents are able to objectively identify and respond appropriately. appropriate-ly. With this in mind, the following list may prove very useful. Possible Teenage Substance Abuse Indicators 1. Has there been a change in your teenager's friends who seem different from the old crowd, or is he-she spending a lot of time alone? 2. Has there been a change in normal daily routine? 3. Has there been a change in attitude about school? 4. Has there been a change in the way he-she uses his-her money? 5. Has there been a change in carrying out responsibilities? 6. Do you find yourself not wanting to trust him-her completely? com-pletely? 7. Is his-her behavior becoming more unpredictable? Are mood swings more prevalent? 8. Are there pronounced changes in sleeping habits or diet? 9. Has he-she become more reckless in many aspects of his-her life? 10. Does he-she seem listless or withdrawn? Adolescence is, of course, a difficult period of time for most young people and a certain degree of erratic behavior is to be expected. The very turbulence of teen years makes young people peo-ple susceptible to drug use, especially when it's as prevalent as it is today. Guidelines for Teenage Parties A problem that seems to cause anxiety for many parents is how to handle parties for their teenage children. What do you allow? What do you encourage? What do you tolerate? If you are uncertain about the answers to these questions, then the following information may be of assistance. The Greenwich Advisory Council on Youth and Drugs suggests sug-gests the following guidelines concerning teenage parties: 1 . Set a time limit. Establish a definite starting and ending time prior to the party. 2. Agree on the guest list. If you know who is invited beforehand, before-hand, you can curb the "open party" situation. 3. Agree on rules ahead of time. For instance, no drugs, including alcohol; no leaving the party and then returning; no "crashers," etc. 4. Know your legal responsibilities. Remember it is illegal to serve alcohol to minors. 5. Invite another parent or couple over. Having adults visible can prevent problems from developing. 6. When your teen is going to someone else's party, call the host parent to check on supervision to make sure your basic ground rules will be honored. 7. Make it easy for your teenager to leave the party. If there is drinking or drug-taking or any other reason your teenager wishes to leave a party, make an arrangement that your child 'can call you or a designated adult for a ride home. Urge your teenager never to drive with a person who has been drinking or taking drugs. He-she should have an understanding that there will not be any punishments or restrictions for a call letting you know that things are getting out of hand. 8. Be up to greet your teenager when he-she comes home from a party. Confidentially: Whether you think you can or can't... you' re right. |