by Nicole Cook

Created on: March 19, 2009

Athletes have become one of the easiest things for our children to idolize. Besides the fact that they are on television so often, they often play a particular sport in which your child finds great pleasure in playing and watching. Athletes become household names, the numbers they where on their uniforms suddenly becomes your child's favorite number, and before you know it, the athlete in question is now your child's hero and idol. Therefore your child can be greatly influenced by what actions said athlete takes. Finding out that your child's favorite athlete has been taking drugs can be disheartening to you but devastating to your child. You may hear the question, "mommy why did he take drugs?" and soon find yourself in the much dreaded discussion of drug use with your child at an extremely early age. By assuming your child would not be exposed to such issues for many more years, you have not yet prepared a speech, or found a proper way to discuss drugs with your child yet.

While this may seem like a tragedy and you feel that it is much to early in your child's life to begin discussing drugs, having them find out their favorite athlete is using drugs is actually the perfect time to begin the discussion. Having your child see how an athletes drug use is perceived by fans and the media can open the discussion of how wrong it is. You can begin the discussion by stating that the athlete in question is in a lot of trouble for using drugs, and may no longer be allowed to play the sport anymore. If the drug is a performance enhancing drug you can tell your child that this is a form of cheating, which is something he or she may understand better if they are very young. A child witnessing his or her idol on the news possibly being brought away in handcuffs or being suspended or even fired from his job can stress to your child the possible repercussions of drug use while also showing him or her that no one is above the law, not even celebrities such as athletes.

By not allowing your son or daughter to watch or purchase any items associated with the athlete, you show them that you do not approve of the athletes actions. When asked the question, "why cant I watch him anymore?", you can simply state that he used drugs, and that using drugs is wrong so you no longer like him. This is simple enough for a young child to understand, and opens the door for more questions and discussions between you and your child.

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