Answer, Test Them. This question is posed to our staff almost daily. I may have even covered it before in a blog post. The fact is, I don’t mind covering it again because it is still one of the most prevalent questions asked. Can I tell if their eyes are red, pupils dilated, eating more, yelling, not sleeping, etc. etc. etc? Yes, their eyes may be red. Yes, their pupils may be dilated and yes they may eat more. However, teens might exhibit all of these qualities simply because they are teens. New expectations from school, puberty, studying late or even participating in sports. You know your children better than anyone else. Something that we always stress to parents when they call on us for answers to these questions is; If you feel like something is just not right or a change has occurred that has you unsettled, Follow your Gut!!! We often get in a rut with the everyday responsibilities of life and forget that we observe these creatures of habit day in and day out. It is our job to notice these changes, however slight they may be, and investigate as to why they occurred. I am not implying that every child whose behavior slightly changes is abusing drugs, but I don’t want to be that parent who ignored or missed the signs before there was a concerning problem. Drug Testing is simple to do and should be openly discussed amongst children and parents. We insist on riding with our kids before we give them the go ahead to take the family vehicle to the mall, but are hesitant to ask for a urine sample once they return from a weekend party or sleepover. The concept is the same: Prove to me that you are ready for this type of responsibility and trust! Bottom line, these are your kids and you want the best for them. Noticing a change and acting on your instincts to find out if there is a problem will keep your children safe and you sane.
