When we try and talk to our children, in an effort to keep them away from drugs and alcohol, it's more important that we don't talk to them in any one particular way; just that we talk to them regularly. One of the most valuable things have them from protecting them against drugs and alcohol is connection to their family. When they feel connected to, loved by, and protected by their families; they are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. One of the things we use as a mantra in our presentations is: Drugs aren't really the problem. Drugs are a symptom of another problem, which isn't being dealt with in a better way. When we maintain an ongoing dialogue with our children, we -- by the very nature of that communication -- teach them tricks and techniques, about how to handle the inevitable ups and downs that life will bring. When kids feel connected, they are less likely to do drugs. Ultimately, we want to also remind kids about our rules, our consequences, and our expectations of them. Kids do really well when they have clear expectations explained to them, in the form of communication.