smart decisions, and not drive after alcohol has been consumed.” IS IT REALISTIC TO THINK TEENS WON’T DRINK? “As a psychologist (and as a parent) of course I have to say the answer is no. We know that teenagers drink and that they will do it whether we want them to or not. So, it makes sense that parents have had the mindset that ‘if my kid’s going to drink, I’d like to be around to supervise them and make sure they’re safe,’ or ‘I want to make sure they’re not going to drink and drive.’ Other parents may feel that it will remove what I’d like to call the ‘taboo appeal’ of drinking, which can sometimes lurk in the background of kids’ minds as they get ready to leave for college and they’ve been prohibited from drinking until they leave,” says Dr. Schechter. When polling parents on whether or not they would allow their teens to drink at home, many said yes because it lessens the appeal of drinking when they are older. Local mom Katherine G., agrees with this. “It’s the nature of maturing. Children
want to rebel against the boundaries that are set for them. If they have access to alcohol at home, it loses the ‘cool’ factor. My parents always said I could have it if I wanted, but I thought it tasted disgusting, and I would roll my eyes when my friends got hold of cheap beer. I happily passed on it because I had no interest at all. All of the wildest kids I knew growing up had the strictest parents.” Parents who are against teens drinking at home feel that by allowing them to consume alcohol at a younger age only puts them on the road to addiction and offers a gateway to other illegal activities. A research study in the Journal of Studies WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY? on Alcohol and Drugs that spanned over 15 years found that “allowing adolescents to drink at home is neither inherently protective nor risky but depends on the family context.” One of these factors to consider includes whether or not there is already a family history of alcohol problems. However, in AAP’s Alcohol Use by Youth policy statement, lead author Joanna
Quigley, MD, FAAP, shares, “Alcohol paves a pathway for addiction when the brain is still maturing, affecting the area that governs decision-making. As parents, we don’t want to downplay those risks, but keep the conversations open and model healthy habits.” SO, SHOULD THEY OR SHOULDN’T THEY? If you’re looking for an easy yes or no, you won’t find it here. Considering the facts from the experts, as well as what is legal in our state, there unfortunately isn’t a yes or no answer. The decision will ultimately come down to what the parent feels is best for their teen. Dr. Schechter adds, “The decision of whether to allow teenagers to drink at home is not a simple one but a personal one, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer in my opinion. Parents should be aware of the power that they have to influence their teens’ attitudes and behavior even through early adulthood.” If you’re looking for more insight and help with navigating through the decision process, reach out to your child’s doctor or another parent you trust.
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