Kids and drugs prevention workshops

Times Reporter 

 

In 2012 SWAT (Strathmore-Wheatland Addictions Team) brought a drug awareness and information session to the community.  The drug overdose death of a Strathmore teen, and other drug related tragedies in Calgary, had sparked the idea for an information night. Crystal Wahl, a chairperson with SWAT, said the sessions were well attended and so the workshops are returning. 

Drugs and Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention is a four-part workshop that will be held at McBride Career Group beginning on Oct. 9. There is no cost for the workshop. 

“We know that parents are still the biggest influence in their kids life in terms of their decision to use drugs or not, but how does a parent have a positive influence, how do they impact their kids in a positive way? The four sessions, that’s what they’re all about,” said Wahl. 

All of the facilitators for the workshops are SWAT members that have had training to be able to host the workshops, or are RCMP members.  

The four workshops include the ‘Power of Parents’ which outlines how parents are a major influence, how you can protect your children, what are the risks and how do you school a community; resources to keep your child drug and alcohol free. 

“Modeling is important, but it isn’t just modeling it’s also having the conversations, not assuming your kids are. It’s about having the conversations around risks,” said Wahl. 

“There’s a lot of research out there that shows kids live up to your expectations about drugs and alcohol, like if you sort of think they’re going to use that’s almost like an invitation to use because they kind of think, ‘well if they think I am anyway.’ If you make it clear in conversation that you expect them not to use that’s a big deterrent.”

Wahl said one part of the problem is most parents aren’t having the conversations and parents grossly underestimate the amount of kids doing drugs. 

‘Talking with Your Kids’ is another workshop being offered. 

“So even if they’re willing how do you do it? How do you open the conversation, how do you start it, what kind of messages should you get across?” said Wahl. 

Ask your kids about their friends doing drugs or drinking. Chances are if they aren’t doing it, they know someone who is. Talk to them about the risks and about their thoughts on the people they know that are using. 

‘Helping Your Child Make Good Decisions’ is a workshop that discusses how to raise your child’s confidence levels, teaching them to say no, why they should, and methods on how they can do so. It’s about setting good boundaries and rules and sticking to them. 

‘What Parents Need to know about Drugs’ will be taught by the RCMP. 

“It’s actually the one the parents like but it’s actually probably less important I would say than the others because you don’t have to be educated about every drug, it’s more important that you’re having open communication with your kids,” said Wahl. 

This is the workshop that outlines what drugs are and what the signs and symptoms are, kind of ‘here’s the drug and here’s what it does.’ 

While the program focuses on prevention of drug use, it’s something Wahl thinks could benefit all parents. 

“I would also say it would be good for any parent because if it’s communication skills and boundaries and stuff it wouldn’t have to be about drugs, that’s just basic parenting skills there,” said Wahl. 

The four-part workshops begin on Oct. 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The following workshops will be Oct. 23, Nov. 6 and Nov. 20. They will all be held at McBride Career Group located at suite 104-227 Third Ave.