drinking driver, hard conversations need to be had. Regardless, many of us feel uncomfortable
talking about even the simplest of topics with our teens. Believe it or not, kids are more likely to
listen to us when they know we’re on their side. Now is the time.
With the help of MADD’s Power of Parents program, we can feel empowered as parents
to have these difficult conversations with our middle school and high school students. Based on
research by Dr. Robert Turrisi, the Power of Parents handbook is an easy way for parents to read
and execute specific strategies on how to have purposeful, open-ended conversation about the risks
and consequences of underage drinking and other drug use. We as parents have a critical role in
influencing our teens to not consume alcohol before the age of 21 and never get into a car with a
driver who is impaired. Evidence shows that these types of conversations are an effective measure
in making teens think before they act. By implementing these strategies, studies showed that teens
are less likely to drive impaired and less likely to get in a car with an impaired driver. Parents also
found that after using the Power of Parents handbook on a regular basis, their teenagers drank less
overall and refused more rides with impaired drivers than those that did not. For our older teens,
there is no better time than now to begin these conversations with prom season just around the
corner.
In a recent survey appointed by MADD, evidence showed that parents might be
underestimating their role in preventing underage drinking. Of the teens that were surveyed, three
out of five teenagers claimed their parents were the number one influence in the decisions they
made. As a mother of two teenage boys, it doesn’t always feel that way, but this is enough data to
prove to me that we do have the tools as parents to guide our children in making safer, healthier
choices. With so many milestones in our teen ’s lives, we should feel empowered and encouraged
that our influence can help prevent unnecessary tragedies.
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator