When my son was about five-years-old he repeatedly urged me to say no to “rugs.” I was perplexed at his stance against floor coverings until I realized he was referring to drugs. Apparently he misunderstood a well-intentioned friends' advice on avoiding drug use—and it still makes me laugh today. But I digress.  This week is red-ribbon week in public schools and the perfect time for us to talk about the tough subject of drugs and addiction in our kids. Richard Capriola has great wisdom in this area from his work as a mental health and addiction counselor the last two decades, most recently at the Menninger Clinic in Houston.   Here are some of the important topics we cover in today’s show:  The drug(s) of choice for our teens today Signs of drugs and alcohol use in our kids What to do if you suspect drug/alcohol use in your child The difference in clinical addictions and process addictions Warning signs of self-harm Treatment options Encouragement for parents who are walking through addiction with their kids Please take time to listen to this important topic. If you’re like me, you may feel like it’s not relevant to your kids today or even that it’s a heavy subject you would rather avoid. But we don’t know what we don’t know about the future and who may need us to be knowledgeable in this area. So let’s do it together. Check out The Addicted Child book by Richard Capriola.