Inroads to Recovery InRoadsToRecovery.com presents an educational program on how care givers should best interact with at risk youth in our society. Everyone agrees that adolescents require a safe environment in which to experience life and its challenges as they pass through developmental stages on their way to adult maturity. The related adolescent studies present two observed age groups: 12-17 and 18-25 years old. It appears the problem is that there are too many opportunities available for exposure to the unsafe high risk challenges. Youth may find it even more difficult to maintain appropriate self control after engaging the “slippery slope” of high risk lifestyle. Our society today lends itself to putting too much risk in independence in the minds and hands of adolescents. Unfortunately peers and one’s own ignorance and curiosity may contribute to engaging a high risk lifestyle. This starts as a “slippery slope” that may be coupled with the naive ignorance (arrogance) of, “I am too smart for that bad result,” or “That won’t happen to me!” Sound familiar to any of us? Unfortunately, it is hard to garner all the support needed to correct “closing the barn door after the horse gets loose.”
So let’s observe these notable behaviors that we may observe and engage before they escalate into more serious risk. Among these behaviors …
Apparent dizziness or having trouble walking; Red, bloodshot eyes; Difficulty remembering things that just happened; Acting disinterested in school, family or activities he (she) used to enjoy; Acting silly for no apparent reason.
What regular activities might we engage to be helpful?
Eat at least one meal with your child; Know who his (her) friends are; Talk to his (her) friends (Know the kind of adolescents he (she) is friends with); Set limits; Ask him (her) daily what he (she) is doing (how the day went); Listen to him (her); There is no privacy (Rule); Keep up on his (her) school and social life; Set time each and every day to talk to him (her); Be a hypocrite; Start now not later.
– Detective Matthew Hultquist. (FPD).
Although this role appears to require significant dedication and be a “tall order” to fill, we may agree that it is much better and safer to have adolescents in a “safe place” rather than in an “high risk” environment.