When a Youth Uses Drugs
"When my parents discovered it," says Ireneu, "my brother had been using drugs for several months. Because they never thought that one of their children could one day become a drug addict, their initial reaction was panic. At first, my father could only think of using brute force to punish my brother."
Upon discovering that a child is using drugs, parents' first reaction may very well be anger, frustration, and a sense of failure. However, a fact sheet put out by the U.S. Department of Education advises: "Don't panic! And don't blame yourself. The important thing right now is to stay calm [and] find out what's going on. . . . Drug use is a preventable behavior. Drug addiction is a treatable disease."
Yes, be kind and firm so that the situation does not get worse. Your becoming excessively angry or frustrated may hinder your child's recovery. Also, you want to help your child to grow up to become a responsible adult who thinks for himself. Hence, take the needed time to reason honestly with the youth to help him see the benefits of being drug-free. Try to draw up what is in the disobedient child's heart, and be willing to listen.
Ireneu further recalls: "Later, my parents changed tactics and began to counsel my brother, setting limits on where he could go, changing his classes so as to avoid his meeting the same schoolmates every day. They began to control his associations and to give him and the rest of the family more attention."
Consider how some other parents have successfully intervened when they discovered that their children were using drugs.
"It is the worst thing that has happened to us," explains Marcelo, a man who lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil. "My wife and I had not noticed anything strange in the conduct of our two young sons. Frequently, they ate out at restaurants with a group of other young people we thought we knew well. It was devastating when a friend told us that our two boys were using marijuana. However, upon being asked, they immediately admitted that they were."
How did Marcelo deal with his sons' actions? "My wife and I could not hide our distress," he admits. "But while we condemned their drug abuse, we did not question their worth as individuals. We agreed that our goal from then on would be to help our sons to recover from drug abuse. We talked openly about our intentions, and both sons accepted our terms. They would continue their studies at school and would continue to work. They would not go out alone anymore. We demonstrated our love for them daily, not only on special occasions. Since I work as a builder, I took them along with me as often as I could. We began to have more fun, spending more time in talking about the future and the need to have worthwhile goals in life." Marcelo and his wife were thus able to help their sons break free from drug abuse.
Parents calmly talking with their son. Handling matters calmly can prevent making a bad situation worse.
Adapted from an article published by THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY, www.watchtower.org
I/ COMPREHENSION
1) What may be parents’ reactions when they remark that their kids are taking drug, according to the text? (2pts)
2) What pieces of advice are given to parents in the text to help them deal with their children? (3 pts)
3) According to the text, what favours drug taking? (4 pts)
4) You have discovered that your son is using drug. Describe your first reactions, then try to explain him the consequences of drugs. (5 pts)
II/ TRANSLATION
Translate into English paragraphs 1 – 2 – 3 (6 pts)
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