In today’s world, everyone has opinions of how to do almost everything, it can be overwhelming; especially for a single parent.
Struggling through the trials and tribulations of being a single parent to a teenager, it seems like depending on where you turn, you’re either doing a fantastic job or your child is utterly doomed. It’s hard to know what advice to take and what to shrug off.
It’s always best to focus on the more basic and important details rather than get lost in the mundane of everyday life and its countless distractions.
Elements of happiness
Trying to keep things in perspective and strip away the confusing complications of life, it’s best to ask yourself, “Is my child happy?”
Happiness is a rather subjective term that can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, so choose to equate happiness with being healthy: healthy mind, spirit and body; a suitable trifecta. Considering all of the components of an ideal threesome, you must also evaluate the influences and choices and be able to recognise when your child may be going astray.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, children are being exposed to illegal drugs and substance abuse problems a lot younger than they ever were in years gone by. It’s vital for parents to be able to recognise when their child may be struggling with substance abuse and how to get them the help they need before it spirals out of manageable control.
Warning signs of substance abuse
So how do you know if your teen is misusing or abusing drugs? According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, there are a few tell-tale signs to look out for. Physical changes that may indicate drug abuse include red or glassy eyes, fatigue and a cough.
Sometimes a teen’s wardrobe choice may change to a somewhat less conventional style. There are also emotional indicators; is your teen suddenly picking fights with family members and seemingly more irritable and withdrawn? Are you noticing your child is breaking rules and not performing as expected in school? Whereas these can also be indicators of other underlying problems your teen may be experiencing, ruling out the possibility that they are misusing or abusing drugs is very important.
The staggering statistics
When you look at the
data of how prevalent illegal drug use is in the United States and how
commonplace abusing drugs has become in the last two decades, it’s essential to
be able to notice the signs of abuse with our teens. For example, drug overdose deaths rose from 16,849 in 1999 to an alarming 70,237
in 2017. Do not let those numbers make you feel like all hope is lost should
you learn that your child is using drugs. There is help available, valuable
resources like hotelcaliforniabellevue.com let us take heart in knowing that our loved
ones can get the help that they need.
Growing up too fast
“They grow up too fast,”
an expression that has been repeated from generation to generation, and for
good reason. It seems like yesterday you were spoon-feeding and playing
peek-a-boo, trying to solicit that ever infectious giggle that makes your heart
warm and your life full. With the blink of an eye, you’re constantly second
guessing yourself, wondering if you’ve done everything you should and
everything you can to give your child the best start in life. The reality of
it? If you are second guessing yourself, that shows you take pride in the
responsibility you have to your children and doing your best is all that one
can hope for.
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