Talking with your kids about drugs and alcohol can be scary. Ideally, it’s an ongoing conversation rather than one big “talk.” The good news is you can prepare yourself by planning ahead to focus on the benefits of knowledge and not on the negative consequences of behavior. It will also help to avoid assumptions, talk about expectations, assume good intentions, share resources, and commit to remain approachable no matter what. Hopefully, this can be a learning process for you and your child.