Raising a child is a constant struggle which never ends, even when your child turns into a teen, or even when it becomes a grown-up tween. Don’t think that giving them a few lectures, guidelines and controlling home environment will never let them bring trouble home.
The need to keep a check on your child has increased with the penetration of social media and the emergence of liquid modernity. Today’s children have enough distractions to forget your few minutes ago lecture, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if your child also becomes an alcohol addict due to peer pressure or other social factors.
Discovering alcohol addiction of your child is one of the most traumatising experiences of life, which can make your family fall apart, shake your whole world, and stagger your life forever. What can be worse than seeing your child’s life fading slowly with ever alcohol intake? The good thing is that it can be avoided, but unfortunately, many parents don’t realise it before hitting rock bottom.
Children’s alcohol addiction habits are usually a result of parents’ poor parenting choices. There are many alcohol addiction treatments, but isn’t it better to avoid this altogether by making the right choices on time?
Here are given some common mistakes that parents make regarding prevention of alcohol addiction:
Decreased parental involvement
Growing children have mood management issues. They might have severe mood swings, not listen to you and misbehave at times – still, don’t leave them on their own. Most parents stop interfering in their children’s life after initial failed attempts. And that is the problem.
Interfering in your child’s life doesn’t mean you should confront them all the time and don’t give them enough space to breathe. It means to keep a check on their life, negotiate with them on different life’s matters, give them your guidance – even if they feel irritated.
Lack of awareness of mental health issues
Though society is becoming aware of the depression, but still a large fraction of the society isn’t able to understand that it isn’t merely a fantasised term. Depression is real. Many people suffer from this overpowering mental health issue, struggle to free themselves from its web, fail, and fall apart. In the end, they find alternative ways to calm themselves and become alcoholics or drug addicts. Your child can also be a one.
Most parents fail to understand that their children can also suffer from depression even if they have all life’s facilities. Your timely understanding of mental health issues, their diagnosis in children, and proper treatment can save your child from becoming a drug addict. For this, you need awareness of mental health issues of children and save yourself and your child from facing any severe trouble.
Neglecting changes
Growing up, children show many behavioural changes. Talkative children become quiet, cheerful children become sober, serious children become naughty, and there are many more changes which are part of adolescence. Alcohol addicts in their initial phase, and growing children sometimes show the same behavioral changes; that’s why parents fail to diagnose changes occurring in their children due to alcohol usage. However, no matter what the reason is, you shouldn’t ignore such signs. They are an indicator that your child is undergoing some changes – pay attention to them.
Takeaway
Parenting is a difficult task and a lifetime job that you should continue doing in all phases of your child’s age. It might be nerve-wracking and exhausting, but you can’t neglect it if you want to see your children living a happy, healthy, and normal life – which all parents do.
Alicia Saville did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
