Teenagers and Alcohol

[desiretochange]

What do you do when your teenage child drinks? How do you get it through to them that no you should not be grateful that all they do is drink and not act like others in their year (school) who do a lot more than drink?

What age are we talking about here?

I think that to a certain extent, all you can do is disapprove, while remembering that we were making our own mistakes at 15 or so.

After exam results last year my DS (17) went to a friends house (with the line "I won't drink Mum promise )

My DH got a text from him which we think said he didn't feel very well and could DH come and pick him up

So he did, and duly vomited everywhere inside my DH's newish Mercedes (company car)

To teach him a lesson, we left the vomit in the car for him to deal with in the morning....

He hasn't come home drunk since

Teenages will drink whether you say it's okay or not. You should teach them about alcohol and let them make their own mistakes.

When they come home with a roaring hangover it's unlikely they are going to continue doing it regularly.

If you tell them NOT to, they will go and do it anyway. If you are open and speak to your teenager they will respect you and are more likely to do the right thing.

I go out and have drinks but I rarely ever go out and get extremely drunk. If I did it all the time it would probably upset my Mum and I wouldn't want that.

If they are getting drunk all the time, sit them down at a quiet moment and express your concerns. Leave the ball in their court. If you constantly nag at them they will go and do the opposite of what you ask.

I introduced my eldest to alcohol at home, with him being allowed the odd beer or alcopop from when he was 14. He's now 18 and has a very healthy and sensible attitude towards drink. He has got hammered before, but really didn't like it. All I've ever said to him is do not drink on the street as you put yourself at risk and don't drink to get drunk.

Dd1 is 15 and been allowed wine with dinner etc... since 13. If we go to friends parties she has 1 or 2 drinks and I am ok with her having a few beers at a party without me.

She is sensible though so i don't feel the need to worry to much.

There has only been one occasion when she drank too much and was so sick she hasn't drunk like that again.

I allow DD2 the odd sip, she is 14 but not really interested yet (mind you, she's emtionally quite a bit younger than 14, so it isn't surprising). She had a bit of Baileys on NYE with me. DD1 never liked the taste much, so I was safe there. With DD2 i just raise it where it comes up naturally in conversation and point out the danger of drinking too much, but say it's fine to enjoy it in reasonable amounts. There was a young person in our area we knew who died of alcohol poisoning after getting drunk which got the message to her without me telling her