By Sarah Hagopian, Prevention Intern, Tillamook Family Counseling Center
These days, you’ve probably heard plenty about the risks of teens trying or using substances. As a parent, it’s natural to feel concerned and to search for ways to prevent your teen from trying a substance in the first place. Teens try substances for a variety of reasons. Some try substances because they want to experiment, fit in, or they feel peer pressured into doing it. Other times they may use substances to cope with substantial changes that are happening in their lives, like parents going through divorce, or to try to manage symptoms of anxiety or depression. While there is not one single solution to stop teens from using substances, one promising approach is to incorporate Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) into your child’s daily life.
PCEs are types of relationships or environments that help a child feel supported, safe, and connected. PCE relationships include family, friends, school staff, and community members. PCEs can be easy to implement and can look like a child sharing their feelings or finding support in a family member, having two or more non-parent adults that care about them, and even participating in community events like festivals or clubs. By incorporating these relationships and experiences in your child’s life, you will help them build life tools like being resilient, creating meaningful relationships, and overall feeling that their life has purpose and meaning.
Incorporating PCEs into your child’s life will provide long-term benefits. Studies have found that incorporating one or more PCEs in a child’s life decreases their risk of using substances like cigarettes or drinking alcohol. PCEs are easy to add into you and your child’s daily routines whether it be at home, at school, going to an event, or volunteering within the community. Along with providing your child with a safe and supportive relationship, you will also want to make sure that other types of relationships or supportive environments can be found in your child’s life. Having your child have positive and supportive relationships with their teachers or community members can support your child emotionally and even improve how they engage with school.
Below are a few easy ways that you can add in PCEs into your child’s life:
-Listen to your child’s day after school and create a safe space to encourage them to share their feelings
-Encourage your child to volunteer within your community to create connection with neighbors and local community members
-Support your child in participating in activities like joining an after-school club or taking a class at your local recreational center to build community, friends and mentors
By adding positive childhood experiences to your child’s life, you are not only reducing their risk of substance use but you are also helping your child build the tools they need to support a happy and healthy adulthood. Creating safe spaces, cultivating community, and encouraging thoughtful activities are simple but impactful ways to add into your child’s life. Simple, everyday moments through PCEs help your child be more resilient and create long-lasting relationships that can support them as they venture into adulthood.
For more information, go to www.tfcc.org or www.tillamookcountywellnes.org
