HAVING THE TALK
Talking with your kids about underage drinking and driving can be a challenging task, but experts agree that it is a necessary one. Teens who hear a strong no-use message from their parents are less likely to drink or use other drugs. But just because you know you should talk with your children, it doesn't necessarily mean you know how to go about it.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to talking about difficult subjects like drinking and drugs is that it's not a five-minute "talk"—it's about building an ongoing conversation.
While many teens drink alcohol, underage alcohol use is not inevitable. Families are not helpless to prevent it. Focus your efforts on the factors that protect teens from alcohol use. At the same time, you can work to reduce the factors that increase the chance that they will drink.
By entering into the conversation, you will be able to:
- Help your teens know how to resist alcohol.
- Help them find ways to have fun without alcohol.
- Do not give alcohol to your teens. Tell them that any alcohol in your home is off limits to them and their friends.
- Don't let your teens attend parties where alcohol is served. Make sure alcohol isn't available at teen parties in your own home.
- Set clear rules about not drinking and enforce them consistently.
- Help your teens avoid dangerous situations such as riding in a car driven by someone who has been drinking.
- Help your teens get professional help if you're worried about their involvement with alcohol.
Pointers adapted from Parents: The Anti-Drug.
