Writing Feedback / Expository Essay "Keeping Kids Drug Free" [6]

This is my expository essay and I would really appreaciate it if someone could edit and give me some suggustions on how I can improve it. Thanks Rolenakay

School and Kids Should be Drug-Free

Even though my parents were involved in my life as a child, drug addiction was still something I had to battle. Growing up is full of choices to make and sometimes as kids we make the wrong ones not knowing how much it will effect our lives. Being involved in your kids life is such an important part of helping your kids make the right choices.

Although sometimes evolvement isn't enough, parents and caretakers play a strong role in children's lives for two main reasons. First, kids look up to there loved ones, but most importantly, the more involved in a child's live you are allows you to notice changes in there behavior

Parents and caretakers involvement in children's lives help keep them drug free. The reason being you can open lines of communication that way they know you are there for them to talk to and know you will listen.

It is important to take time to listen to your children. Don't just pretend to listen. You may not realize it but children know when you are not really listening to them. They can tell by the way you answer their questions. If you just nod your head to what they are saying they probably know your not listening. Make it clear that you're listening and trying to understand your child's point of view. You can do that by replying to them what you think they are trying to say and ask if that's what they are meaning. If your child uses slang ask what it means. If your child says a word and you just think you know what it means go a head and ask them their meaning of the word. That way you are sure of what they are saying.

Ask questions as to what they have been doing or where they have been hanging out at. Avoid questions that kids can answer with a simple yes or no. Make sure your questions require an explanation that can't be explained with one word answers. Establish time together every week even if it's just having ice cream so you can have time to talk. Talking to your kids every week shows that you care to take time for them. It also gives you more of an idea of what's going on in their life more accurately.

Be supportive of their positive thoughts on things they express their feelings about. Don't make your child think you don't care about what they feel. It is important what their feeling on things are to them and should be to you too.

Give your child self confidence. A child does better in everything they do in life when they have self confidence. Feelings of confidence you give your child will last through out their lives, so make sure it is good confidence no bad that you are giving your child. Appoint your child important roles in the family. When you give your child important roles in the family it makes them feel important. When they feel important it will boost confidence and encourage your child to do well. Let your child know how proud of them you are every day. If you praise your child every day it will show them that you are proud of them. Children want to keep doing things that make you proud of them so brag on them on things they do.

Kids look up to there loved ones, you as a parent are one of the most powerful impacts on your children's lives. So lead by setting a good example for your children, they tend to do what you do and not what you say to do. Show them that you are interested in them. If you do things with your child it shows them that you care what they do and you enjoy spending time with them.

The most important reason parents and caretakers involvement in children's lives help keep them drug free is because you can monitor child's behavior, friends, after school activities, and show them you care. The more involved in your child's live you are the more likely you will notice if there behavior changes. One of the biggest things that usually happens is a drop in school attendance or their grades.

Another thing to watch for is a change in friends or loss of interest in things they enjoy such as sports and extracurricular activities.
Many parents have a hard time seeing the signs of drug use. There are also small things that often go unnoticed. The reasons they go unnoticed are because many symptoms are normal teenage behavior. Adolescents go through mood swings growing up. So a change of not wanting to play sports any more can be just a normal change your child is going through. That's why it is important to be involved in your child's live. If you are more involved in your child's live you know them better and can better tell if your child's behavior is normal or if it is something more.

Don't you want your children growing up drug free?