Why young people do it

THE HELP THAT IS NEEDED

1 - TO ESCAPE FROM REALITY-The adult life is just ahead of them, but teenagers often are quite uncertain whether they will be able to successfully handle it when it arrives. They can imagine that their fears, anxieties, and sense of inadequacy can be momentarily forgotten by taking street drugs.

Before they reach the teen years, teach them to value the worthwhile real things of life: the benefits of hard work, the importance of a genuine Christian experience. Be yourself what you want your children to be and their future will be bright.

2 - SEARCH FOR A CHEAP THRILL-They want a quick and inexpensive "kick." What they haven't learned is that the cheap thrills in life are always disappointing, always damaging in the long run.

Before they reach the teen years, teach them to value the success and self-

respect that comes from bearing responsibility and carrying necessary duties in the home. Teach them how to work and appreciate what they do.

3 - LACK OF INFORMATION-Teach them the dangers in the street drugs. Give them information; they need it and want it. If you do not give them this information, they will obtain it from the drug pusher at school.

Hand them a copy of this book and let them read it from cover to cover. Read it yourself, and discuss it with them when they have completed it. Many teenagers, having been forewarned of the dangers, choose never to indulge in the drug culture that is pervading our time in history.

4 - PROLONGING ADOLESCENCE-Many parents, having had to work hard to succeed in life, feel that their present duty is to "protect" their children from hard work and decision making. But this only prepares them to escape to the unreal world of drug fantasy, so that they can forget about the adult world that they have not been trained to meet.

From their childhood, teach them how to bear responsibility and be in charge of routine duties about the home. Take up gardening and let it be something your whole family can enjoy together. Life is real and not make-believe. The only people who succeed in it are the people who enjoy working for its own sake.

5 - DO NOT USE DRUGS YOURSELF-This is the downfall of many young people: Their parents do it already. Cigarettes, alcohol, chewing tobacco, cigars, a weekly drunk night, and all the rest.

Do not give this as a heritage to your children. Get off of the bad things yourself, and it will be far easier for your sons and daughters to follow your example.

6 - HAVE STANDARDS IN YOUR HOME-Far too many parents seem to care little what their children do. We live in an age of permissiveness. Do as you please; explore and try new things; if you get burned a little, then you are finding out what life is like. But young people of all ages need parental guidance that is based on solid, worthwhile standards.

The Bible has the best standards in the world. Christianity is the only thing in the world that can change the heart, the motives, and the life for the better. Go to God and give Him your life; win your children and loved ones; begin attending church again. Have morning and evening family worship each day. Pray together. And when alone, pray for one another. Life is real, and it takes a personal, daily relationship with God to make it succeed.

With your family, find ways to help others. Help old folks. Paint their homes, clean outside and in. Visit nursing homes. Find people who need help. Do things that are worthwhile.

Write to the publisher of this book for a list of very helpful books that can enable you to come back to God. Peace with God: This is what many of us want and need. And peace with God is something you can have. There is no greater happiness than a conscious awareness of His forgiveness and His

presence. There is no greater satisfaction than working with Him to minister to the needs of others around you.