The three P’s of parenting a substance-abusing child
Meetings with the Parents Helping Parents organization proved to be most valuable for my wife and me. They gave us the opportunity to hear from professionals in the field of substance abuse and its co-occurring disorders
We listened carefully and took notes, learning so much from the presentations and from the ensuing question-and-answer segments. It was interesting that many of the answers to questions other parents asked were exactly what we needed to know.
Once the speaker finished, we would visit with other parents. It was such a relief to know that we were not alone in this struggle.
One of the other great advantages we received from the organization was having access to their library. It contains tapes and books providing us with information and resources that proved invaluable. By choosing information that addressed the situation we were dealing with at that time we were helped to prepare for an appropriate plan of action.
For instance, at the Nov. 15 meeting, Kyle McGraw LPC*, LADC** was the guest speaker. He touched on numerous situations in which we, as parents, find ourselves. These are known as high-risk situations and he gave us practical solutions for preparing for their occurrence.
Part of his presentation targeted on what we can expect after our children find recovery. He went over the many aspects of what relapse entails and how to recognize the very early warning signs. We were given specific details on how to prepare for this situation.
This sums up what I call the three P’s of parenting: preparation, preparation, preparation.
Parents Helping Parents has chapters in Norman and Edmond. For more information, visit www.parentshelpingparents.info
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