How Can You Prevent Your Youth from Develop Gambling Problem

As a parent, you have to know that there is a survey here in Singapore revealing that youth gambling is prevalent. Furthermore, according to the study conducted by Fei Yue Community Services and Nanyang Polytechnic, more boys gamble than girls and that they would spend most or all of their pocket money gambling.

This is alarming. There are many factors that drive youths to gamble. For example, if their home environment is not stable or if they are suffering from mental illnesses (like anxiety and ADHD). Knowing this, it is crucial that you guide your youth so they will not cross this destructive path. So, how can you help your child prevent from developing gambling problem? Here are some ideas:

• Explain responsible gambling: If you explain responsible gambling, your child will see its importance in no time. You can for instance ask your child to set a monthly budget for activities like poker with friends and other activities.
• Discuss the view of your child: There are people who view poker as a leisure activity while there are others that see it seriously. You have to discuss your child’s view and determine if he/she sees it as a serious activity.

• Talk to other parents and teachers: Perhaps the effective thing to do is discuss it in school with other parents and teachers. If there are changes in the school’s policies, you have to push it to ensure that your youth grows in a gamble-free environment.

If you are worried about your youth and you think you cannot handle it, it will not hurt you to seek for other people’s help. There are many centres that you can consider here in Singapore.