Talk To Your Kids About Alcohol

How do you talk to your kids about alcohol, when they are bombarded with beer and commercials of a similar ilk? It is estimated that some kids begin drinking at age 11 or 12. Moreover, when parents drink to excess it may be sending a message to kids that it’s okay and fun. At what point do you begin telling your kids it’s not okay; and can be dangerous? The answer is as early as possible.

Let’s face it; children are a curious lot. Some engage in play acting; pretending to be mom and dad; dressing up the part; perhaps finding a liquor bottle and mimicking their parent’s behavior, wanting to have fun like grown-ups do. It is a worrisome scenario, yet you read about it all the time. What do you say to your children about alcohol?

As the parent it is completely up to you. You may want to let your child know it’s okay to have the occasional glass of wine with dinner. However, if a parent is regularly over drinking, children will pick up on that. Kids have an innate sense when their parents exhibit behavior that is out of the ordinary.

There was a wonderful episode on Cosby in which the middle child had gone to a party and had a few drinks. After arriving home drunk, her parents decided to deal with the situation in a very unique way. Not only did she have to go to school the next day, but she arrived home and found her mom, dad and youngest sister in the living room waiting for her.

Mom and dad told her she was going to participate in a game wherein you had to name cities according to the first letter of the alphabet. If you missed a letter, you had to take a drink. When it was her little sister’s turn, she missed a letter and both parents gave her a shot glass and she had to drink. In a state of disbelief, the older sister promised she would never take a drink again. Needless to say, the parents were serving apple juice. But the point was made.

Children are our most precious commodity, and it is incumbent upon every parent to ensure the behavior in the home does not in any way induce or direct a child to follow habits which can harm them or lead them astray. Emphasize how important it is to say no if anyone asks them to do something they know is wrong; reinforce the fact they have made a grown up decision and how proud you are as their parent; remind them they should be their own person, and not follow the crowd because it’s popular.