It's easy for teens to get caught up in a social scene with lots of peer pressure.
Inevitably, one of the biggest areas of peer pressure is drinking. Moreover,
parents and other adults may take a break from the rules during holidays and
vacations and allow youth to drink alcohol. Some parents think it's just fine to
give their teen alcohol or provide alcohol for a teenage party, but these kinds
of risky behaviors have consequences. Teens need to know that it is never
acceptable to drink while underage. Teens need adults who set the limits not
push the limits.
Be the influence that mentors to your teen and other young adults that
underage drinking never takes a vacation for some pretty important reasons:
Each year, more than 5,000 deaths of teens are linked to drinking.
The three leading causes of death for teens are car accidents, homicides,
and suicides – and alcohol is a leading factor in all three.
90% of the alcohol consumed by teens is consumed in the form of binge
drinking, which can lead to alcohol poisoning, a serious condition that
occurs when blood alcohol concentration becomes elevated too high.
Statistics show that 35% of adults with alcohol dependency developed
symptoms by age 19.
Statistics also show that students whose parents never allowed them to drink
were significantly less likely to drink heavily in college, regardless of gender.
It may seem the "cool" thing to do - but you are not doing them any favor.
The drinking age is set at 21 partially because by this age the brain and body
are more fully developed. Early alcohol use can change the chemistry of the
brain and increase the likelihood of that person becoming an alcohol abuser.
(Arizona Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, Health World)
Contrary to what you might be hearing from your children, parents can
make a difference.
Be clear with your children on where you stand on alcohol use. Do not buy
alcohol for your children or illegally serve alcohol to underage children
Do not over-consume yourself
Make sure teens are supervised by an adult at parties and on vacation
Monitor all of your guests to assure that no one drives while impaired
Set the house rule that your teen's freedom to drive is tied to zero use of
alcohol and enforce the rule even during school breaks
