When Daphne Gordon first triedMDMA, everything changed.
When she and her husband became parents in 2009, their drug use didn’t stop.
Many of them continue to attendpartiesand DJ events and use drugs on a fairly regular basis.
In some ways, Gordon said, drugs are part of the identity of her social life.
But navigating drug use while raising kids isn’t always easy.
It’s kind of weird."
Hers isn’t the only friend group dancing between nightlife and parenting.
The same shares reported using MDMA in the past year.
In a 2023studyof 226 American parents, 13% said they had used marijuana in the past six months.
And they’re hoping to send their kids a better message than “just say no.”
While she was exploring the outer edges of her consciousness, her 8-year-old son was home with his dad.
“Using drugs doesn’t necessarily feel at odds with parenting,” Katie said.
“In many ways, it feels complementary or helpful.”
Drug taboos get tricky to navigate when other people’s children may be involved.
“It’s such a socially enforced taboo.
She and her neighborhood friends have been doing it for years.
“They drive nice cars.
They live in beautiful homes.
It’s totally seen and not heard, but everybody does it.”
The social ramifications could be higher if the wrong person caught on.
Making sure the kids know nothing is the absolute rule.
There have been some close calls.
And, well, she was not fast enough,” Joyce said, chuckling.
“One of my kids slammed on in.
But the beauty of hiding is that you’re sort of always ready.”
By a stroke of luck, her secret escaped notice.
But Gordon and her husband are working to establish a more open dialogue about drugs with their teenage son.
You know, let’s not because I’m going to bring a joint,'" she said.
He might not chime in, but they know he’s listening.
Healthy drug use happens in harmony with the bigger picture.
These are all nuances that should be very explicit."
The drug talk is still a few years away for Katie, the single mom in New York City.
But when the time comes, she plans to be forthright about her experience using drugs.
She wants her son to have the information he needs to make smart decisions.
Kelli Maria Korduckiis a journalist whose work focuses on work, tech, and culture.
She’s based in New York City.
