KIDS AND DRUGS

I was reading the Letters to the Editor section of a magazine when I encountered a letter from a mother saying and I quote, "Parents must lock up all medications no matter how old their child is. Responsible parents should know how to keep medications in less accessible locations." This somehow disturbed me. I mean, when I was growing up, my mom kept the meds in a jar in a small cabinet on her dresser and my siblings and I never ever thought of going into a pill-popping session just because it was accessible to us. I think responsible parents should inform their kids about the harmful effects of prescription drugs rather than simply keeping it under lock and key. Also, I think peer pressure is somehow a part of this latest "fad". This is another reason why I prefer to homeschool Nikki and Ethan while young. It's not that I want to shield them from the world, but because I want our family to have strong ties; ties that could overwhelm any harmful influence out there that could possibly destroy the lives of my family. I know the world is changing and I know that my boys can't stay protected forever. But I also know that when the time comes when my boys will have to choose between right and wrong, they will always do the right thing because of the way Ruther and I brought them up.