DISCUSSION CHECKLIST
Remember to cover these points when you talk with your teen: 1 Emphasize the fact that drinking is illegal for teens and for very good reasons. 2 Let your teen know that not everyone their age is drinking. Teens often overestimate how many of their peers are drinking or have tried alcohol. 3 Talk about how drinking affects the brain. Teens need to know how drinking will affect them and that a person who is drinking is not a good judge of how impaired they are. 4 Explain your own position concerning your teen’s drinking. Discuss your family’s rules about alcohol and agree on the consequences for breaking the rules. 5 Talk about what sometimes motivates teens to drink, and discuss alternatives for achieving those goals. 6 Discuss reasons for NOT drinking and the many bad consequences that can result from drinking. 7 Help your teen brainstorm ways to resist inappropriate peer pressure. Reinforce that you want to help your son or daughter find constructive alternatives to drinking.
Tell your teen: • “I care about you and want you to stay safe. That’s why I need to know where you are.” • “You matter so much to me; that’s why we need to talk about how risky alcohol and other drugs are.” • “I love you and want you to have the brightest future possible. That’s why there’s no drinking until you turn 21, no riding in the car with others who have been drinking or using other drugs, and no impaired driving.”
Remember, parents do matter. Have the conversation about alcohol and other drugs today.
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