Parenting Tips #3: It's a Duck

There was a woman on our forum who would say: ‘If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.’ She was in law enforcement and oft times needed to convince parents that when they see their child – who currently was picked up for drug use - with blood shot eyes and in a fit of uncontrollable laughter, he/she is probably high. I personally feel that we don’t try and purposefully ignore the warning signs of drug use or other problems that arrive. It is just hard to pull yourself out of the ‘doing-the-chores-making-the-dinner’ mode to see the signs. Then when you do recognize a sign or two, denial is the normal human reaction. A parent, being a normal human, will have that reaction, right? Of course, to help our kids, we need to get over the denial as quickly as possible.

So, today’s parenting tip: If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. When we see a sign or two – of anything that could be amiss – let’s work on getting past the normal reaction of denial to get to a place where we can help our kids.

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments area.

Related Resources:

• How to Raise a Drug-Free Teen
• Book: How to Say It to Teens (Compare Prices)
• 5 Steps to Good Decision-Making Skills for Teens

More Parenting Tips for Busy Parents of Teens