Power of Parents ® Middle School Handbook
Chapter 4
Here are some strong ways to start a dialogue around alcohol:
You can also personalize the questions:
I heard that one out of four 8th graders have tried alcohol. I was wondering…
If you were in their situation, how might you act?
If you were to guess, how many kids your age have had a drink with alcohol in it? How do you think it has helped or harmed them?
How do you think it would affect you ?
What are the reasons those kids might have had for drinking alcohol? What are some of the things they could have done instead?
What are some of the things you could have done instead? Why is that?
Breaking News: Dr. Robert Turrisi says parents often want to know the facts about middle schoolers rather than just “scare” stories. Here are a few important facts from the 2024 Monitoring the Future report:
• 5% of 8th graders reported using alcohol in the past 30 days. • That number more than doubles when 8th graders are asked about their past 12-month alcohol use (increases to 13%).
• By 10th grade, the number doubles again! According to the report, 1 in 4 teens indicate they have consumed alcohol in the past year.
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