littlegrow
Active member
Look for change in your child's patterns of coming and going. If they are staying up much later than you, for no legitimate reason, or if they are coming home late from school or leaving the house without an explanation, make note of those.
Take note of unusual items. Specialized devices such as pipes, grinders, and rolling papers are strong indicators of marijuana use, and is about the strongest evidence any parent would need. When confronted, the likely excuse will be "I was just holding it for a friend so they wouldn't get in trouble."
Be aware that kids can and will easily improvise their own paraphernalia from aluminum foil, empty soda cans, or even apples. If your child is hiding homemade baked goods such as cookies or brownies, it's probably not the sugar content they are trying to hide.
Track your child's spending. If your child is asking for money without telling you why, simply don't give it to them unless they do—especially if it's a repeated occurrence. Do take note of when they ask: if it's around a family member's birthday—especially your own—it may be a totally innocent request.
If they are over-spending their allowance on a regular basis, make it clear that you want to know why they can't keep to a budget. They may be buying pot, or they may just have a problem managing money. Require them to keep a detailed budget of everything they spend for a month or two. This will help you weed out any issues that might need addressed.
Watch for disappearing or misplaced items. Some teens will remove the aerator from a faucet to use it as a pipe screen. Other household items that may be used in connection with marijuana are cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, knives, matches, and plastic bags.
Take note of unusual items. Specialized devices such as pipes, grinders, and rolling papers are strong indicators of marijuana use, and is about the strongest evidence any parent would need. When confronted, the likely excuse will be "I was just holding it for a friend so they wouldn't get in trouble."
Be aware that kids can and will easily improvise their own paraphernalia from aluminum foil, empty soda cans, or even apples. If your child is hiding homemade baked goods such as cookies or brownies, it's probably not the sugar content they are trying to hide.
Track your child's spending. If your child is asking for money without telling you why, simply don't give it to them unless they do—especially if it's a repeated occurrence. Do take note of when they ask: if it's around a family member's birthday—especially your own—it may be a totally innocent request.
If they are over-spending their allowance on a regular basis, make it clear that you want to know why they can't keep to a budget. They may be buying pot, or they may just have a problem managing money. Require them to keep a detailed budget of everything they spend for a month or two. This will help you weed out any issues that might need addressed.
Watch for disappearing or misplaced items. Some teens will remove the aerator from a faucet to use it as a pipe screen. Other household items that may be used in connection with marijuana are cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, knives, matches, and plastic bags.
