Topics include how to talk about drinking, how to recognize warning signs, and how to avoid legal consequences.
The key reason kids give for not drinking is that they do not want to disappoint their parents.
Adolescents who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.
CITATION: Hingson, R. W., Heeren, T., & Winter, M.R. (2006). Age at drinking onset and alcohol dependence. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 160, 739-846.
Nearly 20% of Vermont children try alcohol before age 13.
CITATION: 2009 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey
The first step in working to prevent underage drinking is to talk about it.
Discuss underage drinking during the everyday moments you and your child have together.
Set clear rules, limit access to alcohol, and refuse to host underage drinking parties.
You can help prevent your child from using alcohol.
It’s never to early or too late to change how your child feels about alcohol. With tools and resources, we help parents talk to their children about the dangers of underage drinking and refuse to provide alcohol to minors.