Greg: All right. What is going on everyone? It is Matt and Greg here from Project Unbroken. Please make sure you subscribe and share this video so we can help get the word out about the addiction epidemic that’s going on right now, especially with opioids.
So today we’re going to be talking about monitoring your children. I think a lot parents out there, they maybe feel bad about monitoring their child. So we kind of want to talk about maybe when’s the right time, or should you even monitor your child? Is it right? For me, my opinion is … We’ve created other videos on warning signs and all of that for if your child’s using. In my case, if I’m starting to see warning signs, I’m going to be monitoring my child.
Matt: Yeah.
Greg: Right? I’m going to be looking at his Facebook. I’m going to be looking at his text messages. I’m going to be looking all through his stuff because if I’m paying the bills, and you’re living in my house, I have the right to do that. And I love you, and I’m going to do anything I can to protect you from that. So I mean, what’s your view on that?
Matt: I’m right in line with you. I mean, especially if you’re under this roof, I’m supporting you financially, all that stuff, you have to earn that freedom from not being monitored. Right now, I have a three year old. I don’t have any concerns with this as of now. As she grows older, I’m going to let the leash out a little bit. But when you start seeing some of these signs that we’ve talked about in other videos, if you start seeing those, that leash is going to get a lot shorter. Like you said, social media accounts, bank accounts, stuff like that really is going to be watched closely.
Greg: I think a lot of times kids can use the love parents have for them as almost like a deflection shield.
Matt: Oh, absolutely.
Greg: They’re like, “You don’t trust me?” And then, the parents are like, “He’s probably all right.”
Matt: Yeah.
Greg: But I think you really got to go with your gut. You can’t really feel bad about monitoring, if it comes down to that. Like you said, if everything seems normal, I don’t think you should. But if you start seeing signs, don’t let them trick you into not monitoring, or don’t let you feeling bad about invading their privacy, stop something like addiction. You can stop it in its foot tracks if you just kind of were proactive and start monitoring, if you see the signs in place.
Matt: Yeah. And I mean, if you’re out there and you have older kids, or teenagers, don’t get us wrong. I mean, I know both of our kids are young. We know this is not a simple task. Dealing with a three year old is easy. I know teenagers, they want their privacy. They don’t want you in their business, but it has to be the way it is. And if you can explain to them in a way why you’re concerned and why you’re doing it, and have an open dialogue about addiction, about substance abuse, about the people that are hanging around with their social circles, hopefully that can kind of resolve the problem before it becomes bigger.
Greg: Yeah. And really, we’ve talked about this in this video on how to treat your children and warn them of addiction. It all goes back in a circle. If you’re talking to them about it, they’re going to start understanding why you’re kind of invading their privacy. If you’re talking to them about it, it’s going to help prevent it. And then, if they start doing it, they should understand that, “Well, I’m giving him signs. He just maybe looking out for me.” I think they’ll understand it a little more.
Matt: Yeah. And be active in what’s going on with their lives in general. Again, I think Greg and I both think it’s a really positive thing to have your kids in different activities, extra curricular stuff, keeping them busy, keeping them around people that are moving in a positive direction as best as you can. If you kind of encourage a lot of that stuff, and stay involved, and show them this is going to be good for you long run, even with stuff like their finances. If you keep an eye on their finances, and you kind of help them learn how to manage their bills, or whatever it is, you’re not going to look like a bad guy if all of sudden you’re like, “Let me get in that bank account.” But you’re also going to have some insight as to what’s going, and if you see any red flags there, that’s going to be huge.
Greg: Yeah. And remember, we’re talking from experience here. I think, if our parents started monitoring us in high school … Now, when our addiction came outside of high school, and we were more on our own … I know if they were monitoring me in high school, and be like, “Look, I’m seeing some warning signs. I’m going to start monitoring you.” I’d be like, “All right. I’m tightening up.” You know what I mean? Like, “It’s time to tighten up.” I might lash out, and kind of be like, “Oh, I hate you,” and blah, blah, blah. But in the end, I really would tighten up. That’s just my experiences.
Matt: Yeah, yeah. 100%. I mean, again, your influence on your kid, you’re not going to have it forever. So if you can exercise that early, and in a positive way. I think it can have a lot of positive benefits down the road.
Greg: All right, cool. So hopefully that opens up your mind to possibly your monitory your child, if you’re seeing some signs in place. I think it will really help. Make sure you subscribe, and please share this video. It helps get the word out about Project Unbroken. We’ll see you all in the next video.
Matt: Thanks guys. See ya.
