A Parent’s Guide to Teenagers and Drinking

• Set a good example because they are watching you.  Be moderate or abstain in your own use of alcohol.  “Do as I say, not as I do” just doesn’t cut it with this group.

• Teach your child that actions have consequences at any age.  Every choice matters.  Talk to them about alcohol and everything else!  And talk early.  The ages 9 to 11 are a good time to start.  Get to know your child and the decisions they are facing.  Give them encouragement and love as they grow.

• Set reasonable but firm rules that you plan to enforce.  Explain the facts about alcohol as well as your family’s opinions.  Make it clear that alcohol is not an option until your child is 21.  Discipline, curfews, and structure are non-negotiable but they should be understood.

• Teach your children about true friendship.  When peer pressure hits, they’ll be able to stand up to their friends.  Get to know their friends and their friend’s parents.  Work together to provide a consistent no-use message.

Contrary to popular belief, peer pressure is not the key factor in underage drinking.  One survey showed that fewer than one-in-three parents of tenth grade students are giving their children a clear "no-use" message about alcohol.  The survey also showed that when parents "bargain" with youth (i.e. allowing them to drink as long as they promise not to drink and drive), the youth are more likely to drive after drinking or be in a vehicle driven by someone who has been drinking.  In an other survey, one third of students said their parents often did not set clear rules regarding alcohol and other drugs.