Tips for Parents: Back to School
- Talk about family expectations and rules about alcohol use.
Clearly state and enforce the consequences for breaking the rules.
- Frequently express how you feel about underage drinking. However, do not lecture or threaten your teen about alcohol use.
- Talk about personal, family, social, or religious values that give your teen reasons not to drink.
- Talk about any religious or cultural traditions in your family that include the acceptable use of alcohol.
- Make it clear that drinking and driving or riding with someone who has been drinking will not be tolerated. Ask your teen to call for a ride, or take a cab.
- Talk with your teen about ways to handle pressure from friends to drink. Teach your teen how to say "no" and to suggest doing something different (safe). To feel comfortable talking openly with you, your teen needs to know that you will not punish him or her for being honest.
- Help your teen to develop outside interests. Encourage him or her to join a team or club, become a volunteer, get a part-time job, or take music lessons.
- When your teen wants to talk about alcohol, listen to his or her opinions, help him or her make good decisions, and treat him or her with respect.
- Get to know your teen's friends. Know where they hang out and what they are doing. Talk with the friends' parents about alcohol.
- Do not serve alcohol to your teen or his or her friends. Lock your liquor cabinet.
- Do not ask your teen to open a bottle of wine, bring you a beer, or pour drinks.
- Be a role model. If you drink, do so responsibly. Never drink and drive! Do not use alcohol as a way to cope with stress, depression, or anger. Alcohol can only make problems worse in the long run.
- If you have a drinking problem, or think you may have one, help is available. Talk to a health care professional or check out www.drugfreeinfo.org.
