Recognize it is your responsibility to set clear boundaries and expectations for your teen. These conversations may be tough at first, but they will be worth the potential pain and heartache that can come from death or serious injury to your child and their friends, or fighting a lifetime of addiction to alcohol or drugs.- Use movies, television and music as teaching moments for your teen.When watching a movie that portrays underage drinking as permissible or common, mention that most teens don’t drink. For example, in the last 30 days, 73.6 % of underage teens chose not to drink alcohol (SAMHSA). Discuss with them how media can sometimes alter our perceptions of what is actually true.
- Role-play situations involving alcohol. This will allow for your teen to take a stand and make their decision concerning alcohol before they find themselves in a tough situation. What would your teen do if…
- One of their friend’s parent buys and hands out alcohol at their house, even though everyone is underage?
- They are at a football game and a popular kid at school hands them a small flask of alcohol to try?
- The person that gave them a ride to a party ends up drinking but insists they fine to drive home?
courtesy of www.safeandsoberparents.com