For many of us, alcohol is a part of our lifestyle. We use alcohol to celebrate special moments in life.
From graduations, weddings and even birthday parties; we supplement gatherings of friends and family with alcohol. We also pair alcohol with some of our favorite foods.
Most people agree an excellent red wine would pair nicely with a well-prepared steak. Unfortunately, there are many within our society who knowingly or unknowingly abuse the cultural inclusiveness of alcohol.
From drinking over their limit, drinking and driving while intoxicated, and even alcoholism. Although the effects of alcohol when abused can be dangerous, it’s important to expose and educate your teen about alcohol and its role in a responsible atmosphere.
Educate
For many parents that occasionally enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or have a few beers at a BBQ, it’s important to talk to your child about how to responsibly drink alcohol in a social setting. Most people can agree incorporating alcohol with a mix of friends and family can make for a beautiful celebration.
It’s important to understand there’s also a level of social acceptance when consuming alcohol. Let your child know there’s nothing wrong with enjoying an alcoholic beverage of choice.
However, like most things, too much of a good thing can be bad. Educating your child on the responsibility, it takes when drinking prepares them up to treat alcohol with healthy respect.
Exposure
Another great way to teach your child about having respect for alcohol is by allowing them to be exposed to it. Keep in mind that exposure doesn’t mean they should be consuming alcohol when they’re underage.
Also, it doesn’t mean parents should be intoxicated around their kids.
This creates a double-standard. Exposing them by having a glass of wine with dinner and having a drink in front of them is a way to set an example of showing how to be responsible when alcohol is present.
If you plan to enjoy a family outing, don’t shy from enjoying a drink, instead demonstrate how it is socially acceptable when it’s done responsibly. Having your teen exposed to alcohol this way can keep them from experimenting with alcohol when they’re not under your supervision.
Consider a young teen that leaves for college and was never educated about the respect for alcohol and attends a social gathering where they’ve consumed too much. Without the proper knowledge of alcohol, they’re putting themselves at risk.
They’re uninformed about the risks of drinking and driving or even the dangers to their body as a result of overdrinking.
Entertain
Once your teen is of age, allow them the opportunity, while they’re at home, to enjoy a drink with you. Teach them it’s okay to enjoy a drink at home and relax keeping them safe and off the road.
It also teaches them reasons to be in a safe place if they’re going to enjoy a drink or two as well as keeping good company. Teaching them the importance of safety and being around those in which have their best interest in mind alleviates any lurking dangers they might not have considered otherwise.
Although these are just a few tips, there are many ways to help your teen child understand the respect a person should have for drinking alcohol. Make sure you keep open lines of communication so your words are heard.
Allowing them to hear your concern for their safety will only help them in the future.
It’s estimated eight out of 10 high school students have tried alcohol at least once. People who start drinking alcohol at a young age are more likely to become alcoholics later in life. That’s why it’s important to talk to your children about the risks of drinking. Here are some tips that will make it easier for you to talk about the dangers of drinking.
