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9 Prevention Tips for Under Age Drinking Consider whether any of these tips are appropriate for you and your family.
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____ 1. Parental Role Model: A parent’s decision to drink or not– is neutral relative to the teen’s decision. It is the message about alcohol use that carries potential influence on the teen’s choice. Be sure to send the message you intend. For more detail, complete the quiz on this site- Underage Drinking.
____ 2. Supervision, Supervision, Supervision: There is absolutely no substitute for parental supervision, even with the most trustworthy, active, and ‘nicest’ of teenagers. The two-faced, well-mannered ‘Eddie Haskill’ character from the “Leave It to Beaver” classic TV show is alive and well in this century.
Liquor in the hands of underage drinkers doesn’t only enter your home through the front door when you are not home.When supervising your teens in your home, don’t forget that lower levels have windows and walkouts through which contraband can and does sneakily enter.
____ 3. Destination Check: Check for supervision at your teen’s destination. This may not seem like the “cool” thing to do and you may encounter resistance from your teen. You can prevail. You cannot always expect, however, that the parents on the other end share your views. They may be more accepting, semi-tolerant, inattentive, or just clueless.
____ 4. Overnight Activities=Trick Question: Should parents prohibit or limit overnight activities? It depends. With certain teenagers, this is preventative. With other teens who are determined to drink, this rule may “inspire” early evening drinking as an adaptation, or worse. It can “trigger” drunk driving. Only you can decide which route to take based on how well you know your teen.
____ 5. Breath Check: As much as possible, be available to smell your children’s breath and check their condition when they return home. Be cautious because the results can be ambiguous, but checking counts.
____ 6. Cut Off Supply: Absolutely, absolutely do not allow access to any liquor supply you may have in-home. Trust is one thing. Temptation is another. Although lock and key may be inconvenient, hiding will usually be ineffective. Kids can sniff out alcohol. And don’t forget about the old “add-something-to-the-bottle-so it-still-looks-full” trick.
____ 7. Co-conspirators: Have a serious conversation with all family members who are drinking age and beyond, but especially the younger and sympathetic ones. Enlist their help with preventing underage drinking. Stress your expectation that they will not become the source of alcohol.
____ 8. Family Traditions: What messages do your family traditions and get-togethers send about alcohol use to the children watching? Is Uncle Hestone sloshed, loud, and obnoxious? Does 25-year-old cousin Meewanna leave the party with a beer in hand? Or do Grandma and Grandpa insist that a little sip of the elderberry wine will do the kids no harm? Do you supply unlimited alcohol to adults at your five-year-old child’s birthday party?
If any of these scenarios represent your family traditions, determine what messages regarding alcohol use your children are receiving. If you do not approve of the messages, change the traditions. You decide. You cannot control others, but you can actively shape the lesson through discussion.
____ 9. Enrichment: This is often considered a fourth stage of the model; however, I suggest using it as a form of prevention. Be generous in the opportunities you create for your teens for non-alcohol activities. |
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MORE INFO LINKS: Lists- 7 Intervention Tips for Under Age Drinking; Archives-5/13/08, 5/18/08,5/19/08, 5/23/08; Quizzes- Under Age Drinking & Teen Drinking Choices
© Copyright 2008 P.H. Pickett, Ph.D. All rights reserved. Contact DrCoachLove@HireCoach.com for permissions. |
