If you’re a parent worried about your teen’s drinking, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re a teen worried about a friend’s drinking, you’ve come to the right place. In fact, if you’re worried about anyone’s underage drinking, you’re in the right place.
Before we get into specific tips, tricks, and strategies to help fight underage drinking, let’s take a look at the problem:
- In 2013, around 8.7 million young people (between the ages of 12 and 20) reported drinking in the past month
- In the same year, around 5.4 million young people identified as binge drinkers
- Around 700,000 young people struggled with an alcohol use disorder in 2013 (that’s 2.8% of this entire age group)
- Only around 70,000 received treatment
Those are some stark numbers. Things get even worse when you move to the 18 and up age range:
- 16.6 million people over the age of 18 struggled with an alcohol use disorder in 2013 (that’s 7% percent of this entire age group)
- Only around 1 million people received treatment
All statistics provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
We included these numbers for a reason. While many people are quick to recognize the dangers of underage drinking, few know how bad it really is.
In other words, the largest chemical danger facing our children isn’t bath salts, synthetic marijuana, or even heroin – it’s plain, old-fashioned booze.
This isn’t something that’s easy to look at or something that’s easy to solve, but it absolutely demands attention and action if we want to help our youth.
The question then becomes how? How can we help curb underage drinking in all its forms?
Tips & Tricks for Parents
The first thing to remember is that while underage drinking’s dangerous on many different levels, it isn’t a death sentence. In fact, many teens don’t drink at all.
If you think your child’s drinking, the first thing to do is talk to them. We’ve compiled a list of helpful resources below, the first two of which are focused on talking to teens about drinking.
When talking with your child, remember the following:
- Don’t lecture – no one likes to be lectured to, especially teenagers.
- Explain the dangers of underage drinking with specific examples. In other words, don’t say “drinking is bad,” rather explain how drinking sometimes leads to drinking and driving.
- Avoid getting angry. Anger can easily turn a conversation into an argument, which helps nobody.
- Be honest! If you drank as a teen, tell your kid that! Honesty goes a long way in establishing trust.
- Ask questions. While your child may not answer honestly, it’s important to show them you’re interested & willing to listen.
- Continue the conversation. It’s uncomfortable to talk to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking – don’t let that stop you! Remember to keep the conversation going & talk more than once.
It’s also important to remember there are many reasons why teens drink. While it’s tempting to blame peer pressure or another child’s “bad influence,” this isn’t always the case. Ask them why they’re drinking, or thinking about drinking, to get the truth.
Having an open and honest conversation is a great way to begin the dialogue with your child. This isn’t the only strategy though. There are other ideas to consider, including:
- Seeking professional help from a family therapist, treatment center, or other substance abuse professional.
- Working with the PTA or another school-based program to come up with alternatives to drinking.
- Working with your local community to help cut down on stores selling alcohol to minors.
- Offering alcohol-free social events (this doesn’t mean throwing a party & hanging out with your kids at it – no one wants that – rather, let your kids & their friends know they can hang out at your house without alcohol).
There are about ten million other strategies you can use to help curb underage drinking in your community. These are some of the best, and certainly some of the easiest, though.
Programs for Parents & Teens
There are a number of campaigns designed to help parents talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol (tip #1 – don’t say the dangers of alcohol. Your kid’s already rolling their eyes).
Some of these are government-based, some are community-driven, and others are run by non-profits or private institutions. Find a list of some of our favorites below!
Talk. They Hear You.
This is a national campaign run by SAMHSA focused on helping parents and caregivers start the conversation with their children. They offer a number of great resources, including an app and some helpful guides.
Talk Early and Often
This is a campaign run by the State of Wyoming. They’re web-based and offer practical, no-nonsense tips on how to talk to your kids in specific situations. They also offer tips about connecting with your teen beyond talking about alcohol.
M.A.D.D.
M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is another program that’s focused on a particular area of drinking. While their main goal is to prevent drunk driving, they also have numerous campaigns based on curbing underage alcohol use.
What do you think of our tips? Do you like them? Hate them? What about the programs we listed? Want to add one?
Let us know on social media!