WHEN IT COMES TO ALCOHOL
Youth may hear that drinking is risky or even know the potential risks, but their own experience has greater impact on their choices. They may think, “My parents drink and nothing bad has ever happened”, or “My friends drink and nothing bad ever happens.” Teens tend to believe that negative things will never happen to them, only other people. There are a number of factors that go into your child’s decision to try alcohol. Do not assume that facts or statistics alone will convince your child to avoid alcohol. Your role is to help them use information to start developing rational thinking skills.
To read more about facts and stats, download MADD’s parent handbook at madd.org/ powerofparents
It is important to have clear family rules about what to do if your teen is at someone’s home, adults are not supervising, and alcohol becomes present. Results from many studies indicate kids drink more often and heavier when alcohol is made available to them. The best practice is to have your son or daughter understand they should leave or call/text a trusted adult for a ride if this happens.
9
When it Comes to Alcohol
1_Your Teens World.indd 9
3/21/17 3:16 PM
Made with FlippingBook HTML5