Parenting Points 
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Sometimes, teenagers take drugs or drink. Maybe even the one in your home. You may be thinking, “That can’t happen to us!” Are you sure? Because 75% of high school students have tried some type of addictive substance, and 40-50% use drugs, drink alcohol, or do both. In fact, 90% of Americans with addiction started before the age of 18. Why do teenagers do it?
- To fit in, because they are eager for connection and hanging around friends who do it.
- Because they want to have fun, and they don’t see it as a huge risk or that big a deal.
- Deep inside, they feel pain or emptiness, and they want to escape from those feelings.
- Their lives are disrupted by a family move, divorce, changing schools, or a breakup.
- There is a related medical or emotional issue, such as ADHD, depression, or anxiety.
- They have developed behavior traits that influence them toward substance abuse.
How Parents Can Help. Is there anything parents can do to help protect their kids against addiction? Yes. STEPS Proactive Parenting is an education program for parents to become intentional about protecting their kids from addictions. This training and coaching will teach parents how to raise kids to be balanced emotionally, spiritually, and personally to lessen the risk of addiction. These proven seminars can help all of us learn from how God parents us with both grace and truth. They are delivered by STEPS Ministries, a Christian nonprofit organization in Birmingham with a vision for all people to find hope, healing, and help and avoid the tragedy of addiction.
What Parents Are Saying
“Great understanding of the pressures my child may be facing, how he may seek relief from pain, and how I can be aware and come alongside if destructive behaviors take over his life.”
“This is the beginning of the spread of a powerful, wonderful message, not just for folks in the middle of dangerous addiction, but even for the parent who does not fear this for their child.”
“This seminar was the best investment of time I have made recently, and I can recommend this session to other parents without hesitation.”
What You Can Do
- Sign up for the STEPS Ministries weekly blog, www.lifeimprovementsteps.com
- Ask your church or organization to sponsor a STEPS Proactive Parenting seminar. Learn more at www.StepsProactiveParenting.com
- Donate to STEPS Ministries so more parents can be trained to protect their kids from addiction, www.lifeimprovementsteps.com/donate
– Steve C. Ward
Executive Director, Steps Ministries
Author of STEPS A Daily Journey to a Better Life
