Dealing
with Your Addicted Youth
Copyright
© 2000, Annette Nay, MS
Dear Annette,
We have a handsome 15 year old son who is the youngest of our 4 children and the only one left at home. He is very loved by all in the family.
I'm a stay at home mom, my husband travels and is away from the home 50% of time, We are active in church, but our son goes to early morning seminary and Sunday meetings only because he feels he is forced to. I'm sitting here frustrated not knowing where to start with this so I'm just going to get to the point.
Last spring he was caught during lunchtime, off campus, with drug paraphernalia. He was with 4 other boys, no one else got caught, but there was a baggy with some marijuana in it on the g
round a few feet away from them. After speaking to the principle at school he was put in the alternative program at school for the rest of the school year (6 wks).
We had him take a urine test, which was positive for marijuana, and another a month later which showed up clear. It wasn't until a month ago that he finally had his date before the judge which sent him to take a 4 hour class on drug and alcohol abuse. He swears up and down that he doesn't use it anymore, but I know he does. He doesn't care about school, church, or family. I feel helpless and don't know what to do.
Thanks
for your time.
Troubled
Mom
Dear Troubled Mom,
You are helpless as long as he has his free agency. The only thing that you can do is get him professional help to change his mind. Just like church, he won't want to go to this either and like church will get nothing out of it. This is not to say that you should give up on church or drug counseling for him.
The next and most important thing to help you cope and to know what to do and to help you cope, you need to have God's help with you at all times. You need to be praying continually to Him for your son's welfare, anyway.
Read
and incorporate: God
Answers Silent and Vocal Prayers
Here
are other articles that may be of help to you.
Understanding
Adolescents and Teenagers
Helping
our Children Overcome Bad Behaviors
Allowing
Rewards and Consequences for Children
A
Contract with the Family's Youths for Optimal Family Living
A
Parent's Guide for Raising Children
Getting
our Children Back To God
The
Importance of Good Friends in Your Teen's Life
The following article is written for you and your addicted son. I hope it will be of benefit for both of you!
Best
wishes,