GOING ALONG WITH THE GROUP Your child will include “others” in their moral reasoning … even if their perception of what their peers are doing is wrong. Research shows that teens and younger adults tend to overestimate how many of their peers drink alcohol, and the more they overestimate, the more likely they are to drink. Your son or daughter may justify decisions by saying, “everyone drinks at my school.” You do not want to argue, but it might help to offer an alternative perception, “Reputable teen studies show that less than 36% of seniors drink alcohol. This means that most of the kids at school are probably not drinking as much as most kids think.” Youth often believe that they should be excused for misbehavior if it was unplanned or if they are one of many. They may say, “We didn’t mean to drink; things just happened; kids make mistakes.” This is where you as a parent can play a big role, by communicating with them about what the family rules are and working with them to form plans if these situations arise. Risky Business
Because adolescents’ brains are still developing, adolescents take more risks with alcohol. They act impulsively and don’t recognize as an adult would, that their actions (drinking) have consequences. Alcohol is especially attractive to young people because it reduces social anxiety and inhibitions. These same characteristics also make them much more vulnerable to taking risks, like getting into a car with someone who has been drinking.
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Going Along With the Group
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3/21/17 3:16 PM
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