Honesty with past drug use

Okay, I am curious to know your opinions and beliefs on whether on not to be 100% honest with your child about pastdrug use.
I have thought about this and still am not sure. In one respect you are honest with them..this could backfire/benefitin more ways than one.
1) They could view you as the idiot you were (depending on what you did)
2) They could be smart enough to learn from your mistake
3) They could experiment with everything under the sun.

Is there such a thing as being too honest?
I am leaning toward not telling them too much. Only what needs to be told.

I plan to tell my daughter the truth when (and if) she asks.

Yes, I smoked cigarettes (and still do, although I'm trying to quit).

Yes, I smoked weed (twice...decided not to after I woke up in a pile of dog poo...the grass just looked SO good when I was high!).

Yes, I drank (and still have the occasional drink or two).

I don't think there's anything wrong with telling them...really, I think it's better to tell them than to try to hide it and suffer the consequences when they find out the truth. And they will find out...they always do.

I think people should absolutely be honest.

C.

I'm not gonna be like oh hey kid your parents have tried some drugs. But i'm not going to keep it from them. If you lie it makes things worse i believe. I would wait untill he is much older and maybe even until he asks. When i tell him it will be like your parents were stupid take it from us kind of thing.
I don't know exactly because it all depends on what the kid goes through through out his life and what the situations are way later. But i wouldn't lie to him.

I believe honesty and openness is always best.

I personally have never smoked, cigarettes or weed. But I have been around it numorous times and I will gladly talk to my son about it when the time comes.

In my case I will most likely tell my daughter about my past soshe will beinformed , buteither way you look at itthe choice is theres and it's up in the air, so IMOeither way not tellin or telling could cause the child to experiment with anything. I don't know JMO

I had a horrible drug addiction. I Plan on being very honest with my children if the subject ever comes up. I think they deserve to know what kind of pain I went through, and how utterly disgusting I looked during that point in my life.

It may not scare them away from drugs, but at least they will know they can come and talk to me if anything like that comes up.

honesty is good... but i don't think you need to sit down and have an in-depth confessional.

tell them when it's relevant, necesary etc.

lying is bad. bad for you and for your kids... it weakens the bond of trust even if you think you're helping them.

give them the respect that when they're old enough, they'll be smart/able enough to handle the truth over some fluffed-up version of their mom that you'd like them to see.

they're people. not cherubs (well, maybe they're both when they're wee babies, but you know what i mean). every lie is a step away from them and the authenticity of an open relationship.

I have done pretty much every drug except the really hard ones like meth and herion and I plan on being completely honest to my son about it. I don't want to tell him not to do them necessarily but understand in the long run it is a waste of time and money! My parents know everything that I have done and it has made us alot closer in the last few years and I feel I can tell them anything! I want to have that same kind of bond with my son, By being honest with him I feel I will get the same thing from him.

i am going to be completely honest when the time comes, if they ask. i think if they are going to do it they are going to do it no matter what and i would rather them be honest with me too..i see nothing wrong with experimentation as long as it stays with in some boundaries and resposibilities are held up.

Quoting I'mamama:“ I plan to tell my daughter the truth when (and if) she asks. Yes, I smoked cigarettes (and still do, ... [snip!] ... them than to try to hide it and suffer the consequences when they find out the truth. And they will find out...they always do.”

haha--i think i read a post before when you talked about waking up in poo after smoking pot--

my mom told me the truth about her smoking pot alllll the time when she was younger but i was at an age where i could make up my own mind about what was wrong for me and what was right for me...to this day i have only ever done pot once in my life and besides that i smokes cigg and drank (PRE preggo of course)

hmm I don't know what I'm going to tell my son. I used to have an additcion to perscription pills.. I want him to know what drugs can do to you.. but I also don't want him to go out and do a bunch of pills and be like "well you used to do it! I'm not going to get addicted"

hmm it's a tough call.. but I still have time to figure it out.

Quoting ♥ Mellow Yellow &:“ In my case I will most likely tell my daughter about my past soshe will beinformed , buteither way you ... [snip!] ... it's up in the air, so IMOeither way not tellin or telling could cause the child to experiment with anything. I don't know JMO”

I agree. I don't think my daughter (or any other future children) will make a decision to try or not to try drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol based on my experiences. If she wants to, she will; if she doesn't, she won't. I also agree with Mara...openness and trust is HUGE in a parent/child relationship.

Ultimately, I want my daughter to know that if she does decide to drink, smoke pot, or whatever, and she's at a party and unable to find a responsible way to get home, she can call me NO MATTER WHAT, and I will come get her. I don't want her to make a stupid decision and potentially hurt herself and others just because she's afraid I'm going to get mad. If she's underage, obviously, there will be consequences, but we can wait until the next morning for that.

Quoting I'mamama Ultimately, I want my daughter to know that if she does decide to drink, smoke pot, or whatever, and she's at a party and unable to find a responsible way to get home, she can call me NO MATTER WHAT, and I will come get her

That is my exact feeling. I have never lied to my parents about where I am going or what I am doing, I knew no matter how messed up a situation I was in I could always call them! I really hope to have that same bond with my son!

I am all about being open and honest. I want my son to see how open and honest (about everything) my husband and I are, and learn to be that way.
I always want him too trust both of us and our choices.
I think your a right Mara-they'd be so disappointed if they got a fluffed up version of what they think thier parent is or isn't.