Top Tips For Parents, Whanau & Guardians

Relationship & Sexuality Education
What can parents and adults do?

• Use the media. We live in a society saturated by the media. Take the opportunity to dicuss relationships that appear on TV, in movies and in the newspaper. Discuss what is healthy or unhealthy and emphasise the positive characteristics.
• Lead by example. Become self aware in your own dealings with others. Young people learn a lot through observation and are influenced strongly by those they admire.
• Become an active participant. You have a relationship with the younger people in your life. Their experience of you and your interaction with them can have enormous implications on how they view relationships. Working through disagreements in a respectful way is a skill that takes time and practice and in relaity is a vital part of any healthy relationship.
• Be realistic. Healthy relationships are not always easy and do not always go smoothly. Encourage the understanding that there will be times where a relationship may be challenged and sometimes a solution cannot be agreed upon. What is important here is that both parties have the opportunity to express their feelings and have these heard. (FPA Relationship Matters Sept 2008)

Party Drugs
If you discover your child is using party drugs don't panic or overreact.
Calmly talk to your child. Find out the extent of the use and where it happens.
Educate yourself about party drugs so you feel more confident about discussing the associated issues. This will also help maintain credibility with your child.
Be open, honest & non-judgemental - encourage them to be the same with you.
Be a positive role model.
No one wants their child to use drugs but some children choose to continue to use. You don't have to agree with drug use , but you can choose to help your child be safer. Encourage them to think about potential risks and identifying ways they can avoid unsafe situations.
(Dealing With Party Drugs - A Guide For Parents, Australian Drug Foundation, 2003)