Think our oldest is drinking cough syrup...

[Sammimom]

It is truly shocking how young children are when they can develop problems with peer pressure and drugs, especially easy to get to drugs like cough medicine.

I think in this situation I'd talk to a counselor myself first, then your child in an open, non-confrontational mannor. She isn't doing this for fun, so what IS the reason? Trying to keep it from Grandma may not be a good idea. Talking about it with Grandma (or having Grandma talk to the counselor) is, so she can be supportive too.

The trouble with ipecac is that it actually acts on the brain, not the stomach, to induce vomiting, and so can cause vomiting to go on much longer then is safe. I would be reluctant to use it unless a person were truly poisoned.

Good for you not letting your girl have access to all that internet crap! I don't let my children do it either. My daughter's friend was horribly bullied by other girls via her facebook page. Just keep being the caring mother you are, observent enough to see your daughter may have a problem, and wade in to help her through it. You can do it!!

 

[cthrash1]

Quote:

I have to laugh sorry... My 19yo daughter built me my Myspace and Facebook pages when she was 15, so I can see who she's talking to and what they say. I even knew her password but never felt the need to use it to snoop. Here's to hoping my 11yo son is as open as she is.
Now she's in college and babysits her roommate when they go to socials... But she never partakes, too afraid of losing her scholarships. She says with her luck, the first time she drank she would be called in for a drug/alchohol test.

 

[debilorrah]

I am gonna go ahead and not be so paranoid here. Kids do what they do. If we SNEAKILY intevene, mostly they stop. And brag about the misery! This behavior does NOT mean the OP's child is going to wind up a drug abuser. It means that the OP needs to be UBER aware of what her child is doing and who she is doing it with.

If there is parent out there that has teens that has NOT snooped, then colored me green with envy. I have wanted to snoop since my son was about 5!! I guess that comes from him tearing out the bra pages in the JC Penney catalog!!!!!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

When I was about that age I drank cough syrup too. Actually Vicks 44. I loved the taste. Did not know it was addicting.

However 6 bottles? I would take a good look at who her friends are. Who she hangs around with at school. And I would probably do it very subtly so as to get the answers. Don't do the ipecac yet.

Peer pressure is a tough one and I don't think she would be doing it without some kind of friend who does it too. That would be my first step.

Sad to say though, once you start down that path, it just gets easier to keep going further.

It isn't anything you have done wrong. Kids make their own choices. But she does need to be confronted about it.

She is only eleven and I would take some control now while you are still able to. In a few years it won't be so easy.

Help her find good friends, get her into activities she likes, sports preferably. She needs a different outlet.

And you are going to have to watch her. Like a hawk without making her feel like a criminal.

It is ok to take priviledges away such as sleepovers and going over to friends houses for awhile. Those are earned with trust.

But try to keep her busy. TV, computers... too much stuff that is not age appropriate. They get bored and look for something to keep them from being bored.

Go with your gut instinct. If you think it is serious, go for counceling.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
ITs your job as a parent to snoop and check on their activities....

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yep, I agree. I am guilty of reading my son's journals. And a good thing I did too.

I never let him know, but because I snooped and knew what he was thinking and doing and feeling I was able to steer him in different directions and if I hadn't done what I did, he'd be in jail instead of an ex marine with a good life.

 

[Chew593]

Go talk to her... I bet she's dying to talk to someone. Don't read another word on this thread. Not one of us knows what your daughter needs. Go talk to her please...she needs you. Go hug her and tell her you're not giving her any more cough medicine. Get up in her business and stay there. Talk to her Doctor. Do not medicate her with ipecac unless she requires it as indicated on the labeling.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Quote:
I'll admit that my first thought would be the ipecac too, but that sends the message that you are sneaky and not to be trusted. I would do that as a last resort, and if I did it, I wouldnt admit it. I would just innocently ask "Why are you so sick?!? Can I get you anything?"

I really like what CHIC said.

I was a teen not too long ago... I never lied to my parents when we would talk--but they had to want to TALK. I would tell them all the stuff that they didnt want to hear, in my own way-- and trust me I had a LOT of fun as a teenager.
My dad is a Police officer/detective and my Mom is a board director of Education, I think that I got into a lot of what I did, because they both were so busy with their careers and I had a lot of free time and a lot of friends from all groups. Im really very open-minded and friendly and like all people, and that can get you in some circles that your parents wouldnt approve of.

I know that now Im raising my own kids, I make lots time for them. We do a lot of things together that are really enjoyable..... and their friends are always welcome to join us in wholesome fun! I try to find cool things to do that they are interested in and get them into a way of thinking that being an individual is way cooler than being a sheep. And we stay BUSY........ Too busy to get into trouble.

Its really hard sometimes to find a way in to getting them to open up, and I dont know what will happen to mine when they are teens, but Im hoping that it will all work out for both of us!
It makes me so glad that you are going to try!! At least you noticed! Im sure so many kids whose parents dont...

I also want to say that I understand the whole not having Facebook for your teen. Ill admit that I love it and it would be a great way of keeping up with them if you could or wanted to peek in on them, but I think that there are more dangers on the internet for younger kids than there are benefits.

Heck...I think TV is dumbing down kids, and we dont have it here!! (We do have a TV to watch movies, but dont have a digital box thingy to see normal TV, and dont have satellite, so nothing to watch except approved things when then time is appropriate.) If my kids need to look up stuff, we go to the Library. If they want to see their friends and talk, they can do it on the phone, or at our house. Congrats for keeping your kid off the technology bug!

 

[Beekissed]

I agree with several folks on this thread.

One, I wouldn't try the ipecac for the same reason someone else has stated. It's kind of sneaky and it's almost passive aggressive in nature...a kind of punishment for drinking cough meds. Granted, I would be a little angry, a little scared and very disturbed if I thought my child of eleven was doing this but it needs to be addressed openly. Yes, she will probably deny it but it seems you already know the facts. Also...something to consider...is any of her friends visiting your home and have access to your meds?

Two, this is a little more serious than being curious or just liking the taste. This needs to be addressed like a potential problem in the making. Not only is this the start of an addictive trend, but she could overdose. You might also note that she could be doing this at her friend's house, as well as yours.

Three, twins take a lot of time and attention, especially at 4 yrs. of age. This little gal probably needs a lot more attention....like a previous poster states..get in her business, give her some extra attention and love, let her know that you know, find out why and how she started to do this, provide the proper information to her about this potential danger. And then do this from now on....the teen years are next and you must get a handle on it now.

Four, pray....and then pray some more. Pray right over her every night and day. Let her know that God loves her, you love her, and grandma loves her. Don't leave grandma in the dark....she could possibly help in this matter and help you give your girl some extra attention and a shoulder on which to lean. Grannies aren't as fragile as we think.

It shouldn't be a secret but I wouldn't tell anyone outside the family, medical professionals or pastor that is involved. You don't want to shame her, only make her see that this is not a good thing, it's not an answer, it's very dangerous and could kill her.

If you ask lifetime drug users, they usually can tell you about trying small time stuff like this first, just to get a buzz. Then they moved on to bigger and better things to get a high.

I will pray for you and your baby girl. Gentle and firm are two good things to learn right now....but the ipecac is probably not a good option if you want to start out solving this problem.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Here's what you do know:

1. She has been doing SOMETHING with a lot of cough syrup.

2. Her best friend lives next door.

3. She has indicated that she is under a lot of stress.

Anything beyond that has not been stated here, unless I missed it.
She asked you for Nyquil. Did you watch her drink it?

She could be sharing.
She could be solo.

I think it's important to talk, find out if it's just her, or if it's just her and her best friend next door, or if it's her and a bunch of other kids. IF it's her AND the best friend, you're going to have a tough road to travel.

A big factor here is if the best friend is a cohort or not.

The only things that could have saved me at that age were:
1. MUCH more parental love and affection, and
2. pulling me out of school,
and if that didn't work:
3. moving, followed by a good dose of 1 and 2.


Friends filled the void, friends did drugs to fill their voids, you know the rest.
My parents tried to continue on with their 'normal' lives, put me in counseling, and ended up with a runaway and a juvy sentence.
My parents made themselves irrelevant, unfortunately. But I was not 11. I was 16. IF I had BEEN 11, I can only ponder how awful things could have gotten. Counseling was irrelevant, too.

You know, you can talk great things and hear her say great things, things that will make you think "I've got her back!", and then she gets back on that bus and sees those people that cause her whatever stress and it's a whole different world. And if the neighbor is involved, then she has it on her mind every time she looks out the window.

Your girl needs you, badly. What are you willing to do for her?