Like many of you, I had a conversation with my teen and some of her friends this week about Michael Phelps and the now infamous photo that lead to his confessing to smoking marijuana. Of course, they shared typical teen giggles and raucous humor. "Now we know the real reason he eats so much." "Hey, are they going to change the name of that language program to rosetta stoned?" You get the picture. They continued until their faces hurt from laughter.

In August, I wrote a blog about Michael Phelps making Olympic history despite having ADHD. Millions of kids and teens see him as a role model. But celebrities are human after all, and they make mistakes like we all do. When role models, our children's friends, family members, and others fail, we can use these opportunities as teachable moments. Here's how:

• Ask questions to stimulate thinking about the positive aspects of the situation. "I wonder how many years Michael Phelps trained to become a winner?"
• Ask questions to invite kids to think about the consequences of role models' behaviors. "I wonder what will happen to his career?" "Can you imagine how bad it would be if you or a friend lost a place on an athletic team (or other activity that is important to your child)?"
• Share this article on the USA Swimming association's response to the drug use, and read Michael Phelps' statement about the incident.
• Teach your kids how to resist negative peer pressure.
• Stay informed about drug use and abuse. Learn more with comprehensive information on drug abuse from Parenting Teens guide Denise Witmer.