Homeschooling parents, do your kids know about drugs?

Question

I'm on a roll with questions lately. ;)

It comes up frequently in naysayers' responses about how homeschooled kids get too "sheltered" and don't learn about drugs and all that stuff so they don't know what to do with it when they're adults.

From my experience, homeschooled kids have appropriate knowledge of drugs, but not growing up in an environment where the drugs are labelled "cool" or hinted at as being desirable in any way, or even just available, would mean they are less likely to get involved in drugs--or feel like outcasts because they're not. I'm not saying that it's bound to happen like this 100% of the time, as we all know it depends entirely on the parents. However, that has been my experience.

Has this been your experience as well? Do your homeschooled kids and other homeschooled kids you know have knowledge of drugs and alcohol?

Answer 1

My kids know all about drugs and what they do to you. My son went through a DARE program then both my kids went through a DEFY (Drug Education for Youth) program that the Navy offers. They took them camping for a week in the summer then did a once a month day with the kids doing fun things while teaching them about drugs and how they ruin your life.

I agree that it all depends on the parents. Some parents don't realize they need to teach their children about these things.

Answer 2

Yes, all of my kids do, except the two year old ;-)

They not only see friends who talk about it, it's all over the media, news, in TV shows. As someone mentioned, how could they not know? The wonderful thing about homeschooling is that we have built a relationship in which they know me, and trust me, and can honestly ask any question. I know my children well enough to not react with fear or condemnation, but with support, and open and honest interactions. They are encouraged to do their own research about the safety of different drugs, as well as over-the-counter medications, not blindly accepting the FDA's say-so on any drug.

Answer 3

Mine do, as well as the other homeschool kids I know.  They just don't get the information from their misinformed peers.  So, the argument is pretty silly . . . they are getting the information that they need from the people they need to get it from.

Answer 4

Well I've done homeschool and been to public school and I have a lot of friends from both. My friends from homeschool know about drugs. I don't know if their knowledge comes from parents or the outside world but they definitely know.

I am assuming that your question is meant to try to get rid of the stereotype that all homeschooled kids are "sheltered". However, you are using a stereotype about public school kids. Most kids in public school don't think drugs are "cool". The only kids who think drugs are "cool" are the losers that do them. The kids who don't do drugs aren't the "outcasts".

And for everyone who says they don't "shelter" their homeschooled kids, they just protect them from constant peer pressure and learning about negative things (s*x, drugs, alcohol) until they're older. Look up the definition of shelter. I doesn't mean anything bad. It doesn't mean homeschooled kids have no social life. It means to protect. Which is exactly what many homeschooled parents are trying to do.

***I didn't say that you said all public school kids do drugs. I'm just saying that public school isn't an atmosphere where drugs are "cool". (At least not the public schools around where I live.) That's a stereotype.

Answer 5

We talk to the kids about drugs, alcohol, drunk driving, and s*x issues as they get older.

My kids have friends, some of whom are homeschooled some who are not... they need to know what to be aware of when they're not home with us. This is especially true once they hit the ages of 12 and 13 and they're sleeping over other kids houses, or going out with other teens or volunteering and making friends I might not know as well.

So far, it hasn't been a problem in our home.

Answer 6

My kids are far from sheltered.  I really don't see how families could shelter there kids completely unless they live on a deserted island somewhere and have NO exposure to people outside the immediate family. I am honest and open about drugs (among other touchy topics) and the effects on the body and over all your life. I actually had a close family member go into rehab her senior year of high school and my oldest sees how that played out in her life, the good, the bad and the ugly.

I do not believe home school in any way "shelters" a kid. I believe they are exposed to to much to soon IN the school system. My daughter wants to learn about sharks, but I do not feel the need to throw her into a shark tank for her to learn.

Blessings

BTW- Thanks for all the refreshingly different questions lately! You and Glee both are on a role.

Answer 7

My daughter is in cyber school and health class is mandatory for high school.   There is a chapter in her health text book about drugs and alcohol, so yes, homeschooling/cyber schooling should and does make kids aware of drugs.  

But I totally agree with you, that they dont get the same pier pressure to think drugs and alcohol would be cool, and for that I am grateful.  

Also I agree with the other posters, that in today's society, even tho they are more removed from the social scene of high school, they can't help but learn about drugs from tv and music as well as friends.  But we are also much more open with our children than our parents' or granparents' generations, so keep the communication going, and  we can keep our kids strong!

Answer 8

We talk about drugs alcohol and s*x with our kids. I think that as they grow they will begin to understand how important it is to stay away from the things that will harm themselves and others.

I know how available drugs are in the public schools as some one who was offered them on a regular basis as I left campus. I hated having to walk home ( I lived 2 blocks from my high school) and through a cloud of cigarette and pot smoke and the teachers would just watch it happen because the students were off school campus and they could do nothing about it. The school finally blocked the neighborhood access with a fence and made us walk around the neighborhood to get to the building.

Answer 9

My five yearold is learnin what drugs are..he sees things on TV sometimes..and asks...and is always curious what Vitamins..and other pills he has seen his Father, Grandma and I take...My husband was on perscription Narcotics because of his back pain from his surgeries.., I only take Vitamins..and my Mom takes meds for her Diabetes, and her vitamins..So hes naturally curious..and then comes our four year old..Hes naturally "curious" because his big bro is..so Yeah..were just starting to teach them..what bad drugs are..and of course theyre going to see just as much as "public schooled children"..because there are homeschool and other social groups..as well..There will be a time when my boys are asked.."do you want to try this?"..and hopefully by then they will know to "say no"..now days you dont really know whats in the "street drugs".....Way back when..it mattered, but it didnt..It also depends on whom you talk to...My husband is sober from "street drugs and alcohol" for fourteen years..and my uncle celebrated his sobriety of thirty eight years on FEB 1..Im so proud of both of them!!..We as parents can "teach our children" and "be an example" to our children...but also look at it this way..We as Parents are only ten percent of our childrens learning..and ninety percent is them..and what they learn..Mostly learn by Example..Ive noticed...We try as parents to be responsible and show an awesome example everyday..for our boys...but were not "perfect" in any way , shape or form...LOL..;)

Answer 10

My kids have a great understanding of drugs and drinking. I talk with them and we watch things together that deal with the topic........however, many of their friends are into it as well, and I am proud to say that my oldest helped a friend he met at a skate park (who went to public school....in fact that was where the kid BOUGHT his drugs!) BREAK an addiction that his friend had.....my son helped stage the intervention with the kids family, and was there for support throughout the rehab process-The experience is what encouraged him to go to college and study psychology. lol, NOW tell me which type of kid has developed a higher set of social skills!

Answer 11

both of my kids (3rd grade and 6th grade) know about drugs and their effects and also what they look like as they sat right next to me doing their school work while I did mine in chemical abuse counceling. My 6th grade was recently offered a joint at the local park and he handled himself quite well in refusing and informing that person that he had no reason to use illegal drugs as he had prescription medication (he has a chronic pain condition simular to rhumatoid artheritis)that work much better.

My children also know the facts about s*x and std's as I want them to have correct information rather than street info that could put them at risk as they enter their teenage lives

Answer 12

I believe any parent home schooling or not has a vested interest in equipping their children with knowledge in those area's.

We however may not have a set program to introduce this to our children, nor do we leave it to someone else to teach them about these things.

It comes up in every day conversations, while watching the news, so it is talked about, questions are answered, and because of this the education is often more relevant, and age appropriate.

There are a lot of things that children, depending on their ages need not be informed about until it is time; meaning when they start having questions.

Parents often times do not include all the drama, and hype that "required programs" bring with them, parents can provide factual, accurate information as it pertains to their children, friends, and family.

My husband has an extensive background working with drug and alcohol offenders, he holds a certification in drug, and alcohol counseling, consults on program development, and teaches this as well, so yes, I do believe our children will know the facts about these, and other social issues.

We tell them that unless you make the choice to use any of these illegal substances you will not have any such problems; the key element here being "choice".

We will also teach them beyond the don'ts; like the difference between the legal use of alcohol, and what constitutes responsible, and socially acceptable use versus the dangerous use practiced by so many young people because they were always told what not to do, and then at age 21 had no clue about what it meant to be responsible, or how to act when they were of "legal age".

Remember we can equip them with all the knowledge, and then some, but they are going to make choices, good, and not so good ones, as well as be influenced by many others during their life time.

Home schooling just gives children the change to grow up without undue pressure, and mature before having to deal with all this garbage.

How we love them, set the example as parents, the friends we choose, and how we practice what we preach will ultimately make the difference, not some best practice program, or any other program/commercials designed to "scare them straight".

Answer 13

I am a homeschool parent and I agree with you. They are less likely to get involved in the things that other kids are involved in.  However, I do believe that most homeschool parents do talk to their children about the dangers of taking drugs. I have.

Dee

Answer 14

If they watch tv, listen to radio, or have contact with other human beings they will know about drugs.  

My son knows about drugs.   We have family members and friends who use illegal drugs and/or abuse prescription drugs.

I don't think we are abnormal.

Answer 15

In Canada they should be scared if the chuld is trying to be a "gangsta" but if he's a nerd, someone hwo live to study then dont worry

Answer 16

We live in the 'hood and we used to be a foster family. Trust me, my kid knows about drugs.

We joke that our school fight song in Lilly Allen's LDN, because we don't let it get us down. After all, like the poem says, "With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world."

Answer 17

I'm not a homeschooling parents, but I was homeschooled and yes, I kow about drugs.  It would be hard to not know about drugs if you grew up with a TV like most kids do.  And most movies (save G-rated) have drug references in them.  Have I ever been offered drugs?  Nope.  But I am pretty sure if I was offered them I could handle the situation just fine.  And I never even took a D.A.R.E. class!  Go figure.

Answer 18

Great question.

My son got to experience the public school "drug scene" first hand.  He heard kids talking about drugs.  He witnessed a girl passed out on the floor from a drug overdose.  

He told me about a kid that was selling his grandmother's prescription pain killers.  He really agonized over this one. He was torn between not being a tattle tale or "narc" and doing what he knew to be the right thing.  Right or wrong, I told the police officer stationed at the school about it.  He responded that they were already on to the kid.

This begs the question: Did he need this exposure in order to have appropriate knowledge of drugs?

I don't think so.  Outside of public school: 1) We attended a presentation by a local meth task force about the dangers of crystal meth; 2) Our dentist's office has a picture of a meth addict's teeth; 3) an aquaintance of the family had a child who overdosed on drugs; 4) we've been to science exhibits that show the effects of long term smoking on a person's lungs; 5) a relative is an alcoholic and most certainly does not come off as "cool"; 6) an elderly relative of ours was hooked on prescription pain killers; 7) one can hardly watch the news without seeing something about drug busts, celebrity drug problems or alcohol problems.

Like someone above (hsmom... I think), our son is concerned about nutrition: hormones in milk and beef, high fructose corn syrup in nearly everything and the health risks of food coloring (including the fact that most red food dye is made from  beetles - yep bug coloring).  You can read a recent speech he did on this at link 1 and watch a video of it if you'd like.

More to the point, national studies show conclusively that abuse is higher among youths who do NOT perceive great risk associated with drug, alcohol and cigarette use (link 2). Therefore, being in an environment where drug use is considered a "normal" or cool part of "growing up" presents a greater risk of abuse based on research.

Another report on this site (link 3) shows that the potential for drug abuse declines in correlation with the number of activities with which a child is involved (church, community service, clubs, etc.).  All of the homeschool kids we know are very busy with academics and activities!

So - there you go: personal experience and research.  :-)

Answer 19

My two boys know about drugs and alcohol and the consequences they bring to your life. They also know about teen pregnancy and other "difficult" subjects. We discuse that at home because it is an issue of the real life out there, and can happen to anybody.

People get involved in drugs because of many different things, from depression and mental health problems (the same people who is prone to be addicted to video games is prone to depression and to be involved in drugs). Others take drugs or alcohol to be accepted in the clique, to be "cool" or because they think that's a good way to rebel against the system (instead of fighting what they can fight and challenging and changing what they are able to change).

I know about kids who go to regular and private schools that know anything about drugs (their parents don't want drugs to be explained to them because they are "little"). Those are the ones who are in danger. Because when somebody approaches them in the school bathroom and offers them drug (or threatens them to take it), they don't know how to react or what to say. They are scared and alone in that situation and will take the drug and will begin a path of destruction because they lnow there is something wrong but don't know how to tell or who to tell.

My kids are going to be homeschooled (they are currently in their last school-year while I prepare myself to homeschool them).

Answer 20

My son is 14 and has already dealt with the "want a smoke, want some drugs, want a drink" thing with his friends.   They are all public school kids.  

However, because he's not had to deal with constant peer pressure about everything he's very capable of standing on his own two feet and saying no.    He thinks they are all stupid to do those things.  In fact due to his influence his best friend has stopped smoking

Our kids don't live in a bubble after all.

Answer 21

Yep, mine does.  He's very heavily involved in Scouts, and there are requirements at every level, at least from 2nd grade (Wolf) on up, for boys to learn about the effects of drugs and alchohol.  

He's read books on them, been talked to by police officers that visited his den or patrol, talked to an FBI agent who lives in our neighborhood and spends his career tracking drug dealers and manufacturers, and watched TV/news specials about them.  He can tell the difference between marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and heroine, and knows how much wine, beer, or liquor an average adult can consume before becoming intoxicated.

Add that to his health curriculum and fitness/nutrition research, which has taught him the biology behind what drugs and alchohol do to a person's body, and I would say he's a very informed kid.

He also knows how completely ridiculous they are and has no desire to contaminate his body with substances that will make him tired, stupid, and unable to do the things that he loves.  He doesn't believe that taking a foreign substance to act like an idiot is something that will make him "cool" :-)

A lot of other hs kids I know have a similar background on drugs and alchohol.  Mine is very interested in nutrition, fitness, and medicine, so he's done extra research, but I have yet to meet a homeschooled kid over the age of 8 (and there are hundreds in our area to choose from) who isn't aware of the effects and appearances of drugs and alchohol.

Again, good question!