Teaching Parents Vital Tips and Technique

Kids & Drugs parent’s information series wraps up in Cold Lake on Feb 21

Cold Lake Victim Services, in partnership with the Cold Lake RCMP Detachment and Alberta Health Services (AHS), have been facilitating a number of Kids & Drugs presentations throughout the Cold Lake region. The Kids & Drugs parent’s information session give parents and caregivers practical and real-life tips, advice, and knowledge on how to navigate youngster through a complex world.

The latest presentation was on January 24th, in Ardmore, intended for residents of the MD of Bonnyville, says Dave Zimmerman, with Victim Services Cold Lake. “It went very well. We did the presentation to parents where we talked about powers with the parents, how to talk to your kids about drugs, peer influence, and other [elements] that’ll effect your kids.” At each parent session there are displays and visuals to help parents see what the drugs may look like and help better spot the signs of drug use. “Constable Armstrong did a great job on drug identification,” Zimmerman says there is an RCMP member at each presentation to help facilitate and answer questions parents may have.

Following the session, evaluations are collected and assessed to help determine if more sessions are needed in the community. Parent presentations have been held in Cold Lake First Nations, Elizabeth Settlement and Ardmore. The final parent’s information session, in the initial series, will be February 21st, from 5:30-8:30 pm at the FCSS. Supper is provided. Please register by calling 780-594-3302 ext 3.

From there, the kid’s series will start up. Kids & Drugs will change up a bit to be focused on the kids and head to local school to present to kids & teens grade 6 and up. The series will visit schools in Cold Lake, Ardmore, Elizabeth Metis Settlement and Cold Lake First Nations.