If you have a teenager, chances are they may try alcohol. You may not like this but think back to when you were a teen. Did you try alcohol? Don't be a hypocrite! Speak to your teen about the dangers of alcohol. If they drink too much, they could die. If they get behind the wheel, they could kill themselves or others. Your teen will test boundaries and will be curious about alcohol. Remember, it's apart of most cultures. Be open and honest about alcohol and you won't have to worry about your teen.5 Ways to Deal with Teen Drinking
Lead by example. The drinking age in the U.S. is 21 while it's 18 in Europe and other countries. The bottom line is to be an example for your teen. If you don't drink alcohol every day (in excess) your teen will follow your example. The caveat is how well your teen handles peer pressure. They could succumb to it and over drink. Remind your teen of the danger of drinking in excess. They could get alcohol poisoning and die! Remind your teen that it is better they lose friends than their life.
Explain the dangers of drinking and driving. If your teen drinks and drives they could die. That's the bottom line. They could also kill others. The laws in the U.S. and around the world are not like they were 20 or more years ago. A teen could get jail time for drinking and driving. Remind them that drinking and driving is not worth it. Please tell your teen to call you no matter what. You may not like having to pick up your teen from a party but it's better than the alternative.
Don't lose your temper. Did you try alcohol when you were a teen? How did your parents react? How did it make you feel? You may not like it that your teen is drinking, but losing your temper won't help the situation. Take a deep breath and remain calm. Remind your teen about the dangers of drinking. Also, you may want to take them to an AA meeting or Al-Anon meeting so they can get information first-hand from alcoholics and those who live or have lived with alcoholics. Have them speak to a teen who's serving time for drinking and driving. It could 'scare' them straight!
Make sure you teen can call you no matter what. If you don't want your teen to drive drunk or get into a car with a friend who's been drinking, make sure they know they can call you no matter what. It is better that you pick them up at 2 a.m. versus going to the morgue to identify their body.
Get to know your teen's friends and parents. How well do you know your teen's friends and parents? They may not be happy that you want to meet their friends, let alone their parents. It's your job as a parent to know who your teen's friends are. Get to know the parents. If they allow their teen's to drink, tell you teen of the consequences of that. For example, if their friend's parents allow teens to drink at their home and something happens, they could be held responsible. Laws are changing, especially in the U.S., with regards to 'social parties' held at private homes. Parents can face jail time. Is it worth it to hold social parties? Not if you value your freedom.
Rebecca Sebek is the owner of DEORConsulting, a life coaching, consulting, and educating company for teens, parents, guardians, and professionals who work with teens. Parents learn how your past may be influencing your parenting skills; you may be surprised that it is. Together, we can help teens be, do, and have all they want out of life
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