How to Be a Better Parent

As a parent actively preventing risky behavior lets your children know that you care. Parents have a powerful influence on the choices that their children make. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that teenagers who reported feeling close to their families were the least likely to engage in any risky behaviors. As parents you can teach your children to say no to drugs and risky social behavior.

Here are a few tips on how to become a better parent:

1.    Be a good listener: Ask them about their day, what their favorite type of music is , what their friends like to do after school.

2.    Steer talk to social problems: Don’t be afraid to discuss drugs, sex, drinking, and smoking. If you communicate with your child before they are faced with difficult decisions, they are more likely to make the right choices.

3.    Have weekly family meetings: Family meetings can be used to discuss accomplishments, complaints, projects, and any other topic of concern. During a family meeting every individual in attendance must get a chance to talk.

4. Get together with your children at set times: This will give each child personal time with you that they can count on. Try taking the long way home from school or even having a conversation while cleaning up after dinner or right before bedtime.