So I have 3 more days of regional CR training and 2 more days of training for the City of Surprise next week. Each night of training is 2 classes which means I have been through 12 classes so far. Wow. I knew that I have a good life but with each class my eyes are opened up more and more to what kinds of things I have not had to deal with in my life. Some of the classes we have had are: Elderly Abuse and how to spot and report it, Veterans and how to recognize if they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and if they are suicidal, Sexual crimes victims, Domestic abuse, how to spot it and how to get victims help, Drug and Alcohol abuse, On scene safety and information on the top most deadly infectious diseases and how they are spread and how to help people who just lost a loved one, whether it be from a drowning, a fire, a homicide, a car accident etc.
The instructor of the Drug abuse class brought a whole duffel bag full of things to show the class. Little things that a parent might not recognize as drugs or alcohol. She also brought different types of energy drinks. Some of the energy drinks have alcohol in them but you might not recognize it as having alcohol in there because it looks just like an energy drink; the only difference is that there is a 21 printed on the can. Energy drinks are a dangerous combination because it is mixing an upper(caffeine, ginseng taurine etc.) with a downer(alcohol) in one product. Stores that sell these do not know the difference between an energy drink with or without alcohol so they are selling them to kids. Some other things she showed us were shots of 80 proof alcohol that were not recognizable as alcohol because they were packaged to look like things like hair gel or like small plastic bottles that could be mistaken for shampoo or nail polish or liquid candy. These products come in fun looking colors and flavors. The scary thing that parents need to be aware of is that kids know about this stuff and they know that the local mini mart or convenience store sells them. The kids also know two things: (1) that the store guy won't card them because they don't recognize it as alcohol, and (2) that their parents will just think it's some kind of teenage cosmetic product if they see it sitting in their room.
The instructor also showed us pictures of drugs that are out there that are designed to look like candy. There is one that I think is particularly scary because it is strawberry flavored meth that looks like strawberry pop rocks. This is alarming to me because I might be successful in teaching my kids to "just say no" but they might accept "pop rocks" from a schoolmate.
We were also shown various drug paraphernalia that are disguised as magnets, mini keychain flashlights, water bottles, cans of pringles etc. School staff are not aware that all this is going on and that is also alarming. I would hope that school districts would require school staff to take classes on how to recognize this stuff.
We were also informed that the reason that Hot Cheetos are so popular among 8-13 year olds is because they are crushing them up and snorting them. What would posses them to make their nose burn like crazy is beyond me but it shows that these kids are mocking a more deadly behavior. This class scared the heck out of me and it made me feel like pulling my kids out of public school immediately. I am glad though that I am more aware of what I am up against when it comes to protecting my kids from drugs. We were given some great resources to go to and learn more about all the crazy, dangerous stuff that is out there. One of them that you might recognize is drugfreeaz.com which gives you age appropriate conversations on how to talk to your kids about drugs. There were more websites that I was given that I maybe shouldn't post because they were maybe too informative for some, but if you want them just ask and I will give them to you.
I know that I went on a little tangent and that I might have shocked some people by what content this post contained, but I felt it was important to inform parents that drugs and alcohol are totally different and WAY more deadly than when we were in school. I wrote this in hopes that it might alarm someone to get more educated on recognizing what is what in their child's bedroom.
THE END
The instructor of the Drug abuse class brought a whole duffel bag full of things to show the class. Little things that a parent might not recognize as drugs or alcohol. She also brought different types of energy drinks. Some of the energy drinks have alcohol in them but you might not recognize it as having alcohol in there because it looks just like an energy drink; the only difference is that there is a 21 printed on the can. Energy drinks are a dangerous combination because it is mixing an upper(caffeine, ginseng taurine etc.) with a downer(alcohol) in one product. Stores that sell these do not know the difference between an energy drink with or without alcohol so they are selling them to kids. Some other things she showed us were shots of 80 proof alcohol that were not recognizable as alcohol because they were packaged to look like things like hair gel or like small plastic bottles that could be mistaken for shampoo or nail polish or liquid candy. These products come in fun looking colors and flavors. The scary thing that parents need to be aware of is that kids know about this stuff and they know that the local mini mart or convenience store sells them. The kids also know two things: (1) that the store guy won't card them because they don't recognize it as alcohol, and (2) that their parents will just think it's some kind of teenage cosmetic product if they see it sitting in their room.
The instructor also showed us pictures of drugs that are out there that are designed to look like candy. There is one that I think is particularly scary because it is strawberry flavored meth that looks like strawberry pop rocks. This is alarming to me because I might be successful in teaching my kids to "just say no" but they might accept "pop rocks" from a schoolmate.
We were also shown various drug paraphernalia that are disguised as magnets, mini keychain flashlights, water bottles, cans of pringles etc. School staff are not aware that all this is going on and that is also alarming. I would hope that school districts would require school staff to take classes on how to recognize this stuff.
We were also informed that the reason that Hot Cheetos are so popular among 8-13 year olds is because they are crushing them up and snorting them. What would posses them to make their nose burn like crazy is beyond me but it shows that these kids are mocking a more deadly behavior. This class scared the heck out of me and it made me feel like pulling my kids out of public school immediately. I am glad though that I am more aware of what I am up against when it comes to protecting my kids from drugs. We were given some great resources to go to and learn more about all the crazy, dangerous stuff that is out there. One of them that you might recognize is drugfreeaz.com which gives you age appropriate conversations on how to talk to your kids about drugs. There were more websites that I was given that I maybe shouldn't post because they were maybe too informative for some, but if you want them just ask and I will give them to you.
I know that I went on a little tangent and that I might have shocked some people by what content this post contained, but I felt it was important to inform parents that drugs and alcohol are totally different and WAY more deadly than when we were in school. I wrote this in hopes that it might alarm someone to get more educated on recognizing what is what in their child's bedroom.
THE END
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12 comments:
Holy Crap! If you wouldnt mind, I would like those websites. My email is catzndog@yahoo.com This is a really informative post...thanks a ton! I will have a little talk with my girls tonight about some of this stuff you mentioned. Its unfortunate, but sometimes even the little kids need to be made aware of the dangers out there ESPECIALLY when they are disguised as candy for heaven's sake! Thanks :) Kelli
Hey Sommer. Some really good info in there that's for sure! I too would like an email with the other websites you mentioned. I needed your email to ask you about something else anyway! =)
TheLadiesRoom@gmail.com
Thanks!
Jenny
that is so scary! I wish we could get them to come teach that at just a regular school for all parents that want to be informed! yikes. Maybe you can tell us all, so we can protect it from our kids. You are going to be prepared for it all, so a benefit to us all if you are around!
Wow! My mom mentioned something today she'd read in the paper about those Meth Pop Rocks... I guess with Halloween coming up or something they were saying beware... that really is FREAKY! I could totally see Attalie and other little kids eating that up. It's sad and scary the direction the world is going... I guess this is why we really have to teach our kids about the Holy Ghost and to trust the promptings -- now more than ever it is so important since they may not be able to recognize the evil for themselves. --bettijo
Thanks for the post. It is sure scary out there. Can you please e-mail me the other websites. yellowrhea@cox.net.
Oh my Gosh! It is soooo scary what our kids are dealing with! It totally makes you want to keep them in a bubble for the rest of their lives! Thanks for the info. It is VERY important we know all that stuff. Could you email me the other sites. Thanks
Wow! Thanks for the eye opener. Would you please send me the other sites too? Guess my hubby and I had better gear up for a talk with our kids...who would have thought we'd have to start this early...yikes!!!
maybe I just want to stay pregnant forever and never let her out. Our poor kids, having to grow up in such a messy world.
Hey Sommer, I know parents are scared about the 'creative' ways kids come up with to make drugs. Teachers are taught about what to look out for. Each year we have someone come in and talk to us about what the "new" drug of choice is and how it is being disguised.They also talk about the old ones too. This is why I never let kid share snacks in the classroom and why kids are not allowed to share food in thd cafeteria. I think it is great that you are so informed because parents rarely ever talk to their kids about this so kids don't know how to handle it when they are asked if they want to try drugs. Parents can't rely on teachers/schools to teach them to say no, they have to know that their parens don't want them doing it. can you send me those websites, I would like to check them out. Parents need to start talking to their kids about drugs as early as 3rd grade and really drill it into them again in 5th grade.
Natalie,
Thank you for your comment. It is encouraging to know that at least the teachers in OUR school district are informed. There were two people in my CR training class that work at a school and they were shocked at the information that was taught so I just assumed that teachers were not getting educated on drug prevention. Thanks again!
Hi Sommer -- thanks for the great information. I would like a list if any websites that you have, whenever you have a minute. It's scary to me, too, and I always have that rushing thought of 'I'm withdrawing my kids from school this minute!', but I always want to stay on top of the best information, scary or not! Thanks!
Leah
lw@willisworld.us
WOW... Sorry I haven't visited in a while but man what a post to get caught up on!!! I think it's great that you shared this info. and I don't think anyone would ever be offended by such great information. I had no idea about almost everything that you said. Back in the day, everything was so straight forward with drugs, none of this cloak and dagger stuff. Insane!
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