Many youth experience both internal and external pressures to drink alcohol at some point in their lives. Youth may feel an internal pressure that "everyone is doing it" when this is by far not the case. They may have a friend who tries to get them to drink or they may be influenced by pressures in the media or community that paint a picture that drinking is not harmful to someone who is underage. Wherever these pressures may come from, it is important as a parent to support your child and teach them that it is not safe to drink while underage.
Here are some tips to help prevent your child from underage drinking:
- Have open lines of communication with your child and express why it is important that they remain alcohol free.
- Talk to your child about alcohol.
- Teach them resistance skills- they can say "No" and that means NO!
- Monitor where your child hangs out and communicate with friend's parents.
- Be a role model when it comes to alcohol use.
- Involve your child in positive activities, such as sports, hobbies, or even a part-time job.
Remember, your child may be put in a situation where they feel pressured to drink. As a parent, you can help your child to make the right choice: to say "no". Explain to your child and help them understand the importance of staying alcohol free. Teen's choices today impact their lives for tomorrow.
To read more about what you can do to prevent your child from drinking click
here.
