July 23, 2001
Trevino: Build relationships to beat teen drug use
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___FORT WORTH--The best method of preventing drug use among teens is a quality relationship with parents, Hugo Trevino II told participants in the Celebrating the Hispanic Woman conference.
___"Parents today are more concerned about putting food on the table than putting spiritualfood in their children's souls," Trevino asserted in a breakout session. Yet youth are desperate for parents to show an interest in them, he added.
HUGO TREVINO II
___"How many of you know what your child's favorite color is, song is, food is, what their hobbies are, interests are, their dreams and goals in life?" he asked.
___It is especially important to discuss dreams and goals to remind youth that their decisions today impact their future, he said.
___"Have you ever asked your child, 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' ... Have you ever taught your children to dream?"
___Having goals and dreams to focus on can alter decisions that previously would have been based on what feels good right now, he asserted.
___Trevino, who said he started smoking marijuana when he was 10, also provided parents with things to look for that could signal drug use. That list included low grades and sporadic attendance at school; no report card or progress reports; calls and visits from people parents don't know, especially older people; having a pager or phone and no job; possessing jewelry they did not buy; never asking for money; and a spotless room.
___"My room was always spotless," he explained. "Why? I didn't want my mom coming in to clean it up. It was full of drugs and stolen merchandise."
___While none of these signs alone necessarily signals drug use, seeing more than a couple of the indicators should at least raise parents' suspicions, he said.
___Trevino encouraged parents to take time to communicate with their children, give them love and attention, be involved in their activities, be a friend to them, but also discipline them when needed.
___The most important thing is to pray for youth, he asserted, explaining that he knew it was the prayers of his mother, Margarita Trevino, that preserved his life and ultimately led to his recovery.
___As messed up as his life was, he went to a rehabilitation center in 1992 because of her entreaties. He gives his mother's persevering love credit for his successful life today as a business owner.
___"When parents feel surrounded by four walls, it is important to understand that wherever there is a wall, a door is waiting to be opened by Jesus," he said.
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