Underage Drinking Prevention Begins with a Conversation

When do kids start thinking about alcohol? In eighth grade? "Not my son," says a parent in one of the new public service announcements from SAMHSA and the Ad Council. In teh PSA, the parent is talking about a lifesize mannequin. The message? "Real kids are curious about alcohol."

"SAMHSA's new public awareness campaign emphasizes that it's never to early to talk to children about the dangers of alcohol," said Fransces M. Harding, Director of the Agency's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). "The campaign's Web site shows parents how to take action." Go to www.underagedrinking.samhsa.gov to learn more.

"Parents with kids in middle school may think that they don't have to deal with underage drinking until their children reach high school," said Heidi Arthur, senior vice present for campaigns at the Ad Council.

However, accourding to SAMHSA's 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), adults age 21 or older who starting using alcohol before age 15 were almost SIX times as likely to have alcohol dependence or abuse than adults who first used alcohol at age 21 or older (15.1 % vs. 2.6%).

Misconceptions

So, why don't parents take underage alcohol use more seriously? According to the Ad Council, the reason for the lack of urgency are complex.

Denial. Parents often turn to teh "other people's children" belief when someone mentions teenage drinking. Their child might get good grades or play sports, leading to a false sense of security among parents.

"No big deal." Parents also may undreestimate the seriousness of underage alcohol use, thinking that it's not harmful if their children drink a little or at family functions.

Hypocrisy. And then there's the "psychology of hypocrisy." Many parents who drank alcohol as teens may not know how to answer when their children ask why they can't drinking if mom or dad did.

Tools for Parents

Go to the Chemical Health Initaitives Parent Network website to learnn more about specific tools to start conversations at www.chi-parentnetwork.org.

OR, enter SAMHSA's new undreage drinking prevention campaign, which uses the digital landscape to reach parents. Visit www.stopalcoholabuse.gov to learn more.

The Campaign give parents concrete tools and tips for talking with their children about alcohol, even though such conversations are not easy.

Conversation Starters. Parents will find sample answers for several tough questions, including:

"You drink alcohol - why can't I?"
"Did you drinking alcohol when you were a kid?"
"What if my friends ask me to drink?"

Action Plan. Answer three simple questions and get more tailored advice on talking to children about alcohol. The questions are:

Is your child a boy or a girl?
How old is your child?
Have you talked to your child about drinking?

The resulting action plan includes three categoies: When To Talk, How To Talk, and Other Things You Can Do. For more information visit: www.stopalcoholabuse.gov.

Create a Strong Parent-Child Relationship

You may wonder why a guide to preventing teen alcohol use is putting so much emphasis on parents' need to understand and support thier children. But the fact is, the best way to influence your child to avoid drinking and drug use is to have a strong, trusting relationship with him or her. Research shows that teens are much more likely to delay drinking when they feel they have a close, supportive tie with a parent or guardian. Moreover, if your son or daughter eventually does begin to drink, a good relationship with you will help protect him or her from developing alcohol-related problems.

The opposite is also true: When the relationship between a parent and teen is full of conflict or is very distant, the teen is more likely to use alcohol and to develop drinking-related problems. This connection between the parent-child relationship and a child's drinking habits makes a lot of sense when you think about it. First, when children have a strong bond with a parent, they are apt to feel good about themselves and therefore be less likely to cave in to peer pressure to use alcohol. Second, a good relationship with you is likely to influence your children to try to live up to your expectations, because they want to maintain their close tie with you. Here are some ways to build a strong, supportive bond with your child:

Establish open communication. Make it easy for your child to talk honestly with you.
Show you care. Even though young teens may not always show it, they still need to know they are important to their parents. Make it a point to regularly spend one-on-one time with your child - time when you can give him or her your loving, undivided attention. Some activities to share: a walk, a bike ride, a quiet dinner our, or a cookie-baking session.
Draw the line. Set clear, expectations for your child's behavior. Establish appropriate consequences for breaking rules and consistently enforce them.
Offer acceptance. Make sure your child knows that you appreciate his or her efforts as well as accomplishments. Avoid hurtful teasing or criticism.
Understand that your child is growing up. This doesn't mean a hands-off attitude. But as you guide your child's behavior, also make an effort to respect his or her growing need for independence and privacy.

For more helpful information visit: www.chi-parentnetwork.org