White Rain,
I dont think there is shame anywhere when it comes to people doing/selling drugs. I as a parent, know what worked with my 2 boys, there is no "across the board" answer as all people including one's involved in drugs behave different and react different. I am "one" of those parents who listened to horror stories about my friends kids, spouting off, "oh my kids would NEVER do that" Yea well, lets say I ate my words, thankfully my kids, due to whatever I had to do, which I did! Are functioning , caring, productive people (one just turned 23 and the other 21) Do I believe the stance I took helped to some point, yes I do. One of my sons used to tell me " my friends think you are a b..." cause if someone knocked on my door and my instinct kick in, I had no problem telling them , no you wont talk to him and if you came back I will call the police, these people werent threaten to me just had bad feeling and my kids knew their mom would call the police , bottom line whatever it takes.. My two boys are a blessing to my now and I love them with all my heart. They treat others with respect and do what is right, would they have if I just let what ever happen, who knows!?!?
I don't fault you, or the parents/parent who will do ANYTHING, even sandwich-boarding their kid, to try and get them to walk the line, keep them from straying in life. And I really don't condemn this parent (who is the topic of the thread) from trying ANYTHING that they felt was nescessary (sp?).
I didn't try ANY drug until I was 20 years old...which was pot believe or not...and didn't get addicted to drugs until I was 25 years old...I used to be one of those who would wonder why ANYONE would EVER snort drugs up their nose...how they could waste their money when there are so many other things they could spend that money on...and I remember looking at pics of people with nose cartilage gone from snorting so much and thinking "I would NEVER" do that, and how could anyone do that...and then I got drunk at a party one night and decided to snort some methamphetamine(ice) and from that point on it was over...there was nothing in this world that got rid of my painful past/childhood like meth. Suddenly what happened in my childhood no longer mattered, it didn't hurt anymore, and so became my passion for meth. It's the only time I felt normal, oblivious to what happened in the past. Suddenly I found a cure for my painful childhood. Nothing mattered anymore...I could think of the worst thing that happened, (domestic violence, child molestation by a family member, etc...) and not care at all...the meth just took all the emotional pain away. I felt like finally, even after rx drugs like lexapro, effexor, etc (that didn't work) I had found a cure....and finally after 25 years I was FINALLY able to slowly start letting out my inner demons through drugs...things I couldn't talk about before (even with therapists) I had no problem discussing now....only through meth (and I am NOT advocating it) could I find some release.
I am a little off topic here I guess....what I really wanted to say is that as a recovering addict, and having been through so much and seeing how drugs might make you feel, I don't feel like humiliation works. It sure wouldn't work for me. I am clean now, for almost 2 years, but almost everyday I crave meth. When things about my past and/or present bother me I think to myself, one snort of a line will make it go away...just one snort and the abuse/molestation etc won't matter...I recently posted on this site and this thread that I would rather have the humiliation than a spanking...now looking back, sober (from alcohol, not drugs), I can completely disagree. Physical scars (which I have had PLENTY of,) heal, whereas emotional (my whole reason for doing dope in the 1st place), take forever, if they ever Do heal. Mine have yet too.
You are 100% right in saying that there is no "across the board" answer." What works for some may not work for others, and therefore, I would urge ANY parent to do what you feel is necessary, whether it works or not, at least you tried. Try everything possible to keep your child from walking this road. I know I will.
I can honestly say, again from my opinion only, that this type of thing won't work...b /c I know, if someone had told me "you can do drugs and not care" vs. "you can do drugs and still not give a crap when you're high, only care when you AREN'T high," that I would do drugs. My motto was "If I can do drugs SOME of the time and not care" then even THAT was better than caring 24/7. I used to look at a friend who dealt with her past w/o the influence of drugs...and feel sorry for her b/c I thought I had found THE cure....not only did meth help me deal with the past, it helped me have more energy and lose weight, which was a significant boost to my self esteem,
As I have said before, I recently did 3 days in the jail system for disorderly conduct. All of us would ask each other "why are you in here" and all...and even being clean almost 2 years, I would suddenly think to myself when I crossed druggies/dealers "maybe I should get their name/number, when I get out of here they can be a hook up in case I ever need it.""
Anyway I have rambled on enough, IMO, embarrasement does NOT work, I swear I have taken drug addiction as something to be PROUD of, and drug dealers as someone to be admired. I have looked at other sad people and felt embarrased for them b/c they didn't know the way out.
But parents, please take any step at all you feel necessary to keep your kid from going down this track...doesn't matter if you're the "cool parent" or not...if you think this kind of thing may help then please by all means DO IT. It may work, or it may not, but at least you TRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading my opinion.