Teenagers *not* drinking. Is this a new thing?

[roisin]

ds2 (18) and his mates do not drink. I don't mean they do not get pissed, I mean they never touch a drop, of any alcohol. Ever.

It's like they signed the pledge or something.

Not sure where it's come from: not from us(!) not from religion. They first talked about it 3 or 4 years ago when some of their peers started drinking, and they have just stuck with it.

ds2 reckons 30% of undergraduates never drink at all. So, is it a new thing?

Buying weed is easier than going to Tesco?

My older DS' don't drink/smoke/do drugs (and yes I would know, they are rarely away from the house apart from doing sport). Their peer groups are mixed, DS1 has mates he doesn't hang out with any more because they like a huge amount of alcohol and now he has a great gang of friends who like walking and camping and just being amazingly lovely individuals. DS2 is so busy doing sport I don't think he'd notice if a pint landed in his hand. When I look back on myself at their age I am SO bloody thankful they are not like me. They are sensible and work hard at school. Frankly it's not what I was lead to expect of teenagers, I want a refund.

Although god knows what the 10 year old is up to, I wouldn't put anything past him .

You don't need ID to buy weed.
The weed is often closer than Tesco's. You don't have to spend £40 to get it delivered.

I've noticed it with mine. One, in particular, doesn't drink at all. None of them drives they don't see the point. WhatsApp and occasionally snapchat. But nothing else.

They hang out at each other, parks in the summer (not the play type, more like Hamstead Heath). They go on hikes and camping. They do go to pubs but no alcohol. They go to restaurants. THey go clubbing. They do typical things but without the booze or drugs.

My 16 year old and his friend months ago got absolutely slaughtered on bacardi and coke in his friends house, son threw up in dads car, in the shower we had to put him in, then in bed, I did not sleep all night. Since then he has not touched a drop and he is allowed the odd drink at family celebrations is not interested. Social media is zero except for snapchat. He is the youngest in his class does not want to learn to drive because all his mates will have cars before he does. He and his friends are really quite boring they do not rebel against anything. They like the cinema and the odd shopping trip. He does not even want a party when his birthday occurs. None of them has a proper girlfriend/boyfriend they go around in mixed groups to socialise.

Theresnonameleft

I've lived in tiny villages in the back arse of no where and I have never lived anywhere where you can't buy alcohol. You can buy it at corner shops and petrol stations. I thought Tesco was obvious as a 'nearby, everyday shop'
I also thought we were talking primarily about teenagers old enough to drink, so I still don't get the 'yeh, they've started buying weed instead because it's easier and cheaper' thing.

When I was a teen, you could dress up a bit older, put some make up on and get served in a pub or off licence from about age 15. That is a lot more difficult today.

Also you could get drunk and make a fool of yourself without the risk of the whole thing being photographed or recorded and posted online to haunt you forever.

Zero social media teens are not going to be happy about parents sharing every quirk of their childhood online are they?

I've noticed this too and it's interesting reading about the social media influence.
One of my teens takes a drink, but not to excess, the other has no interest. The same can't be said for our neighbours son who is regularly making a nuisance of himself via alcohol, but I don't think that's unusual from my own experience as a teen. I wonder if the abstinence is linked to control issues. Social media is somewhat like PR and all about image. I know that my own children are in contact with other teens from miles and miles away, people not even in the same schools. The know everyone. Personally I wouldn't have liked that growing up but I suppose it's the new normal.

My brother is 19 and at university. He does drink but fairly sensibly - quite unlike how I was at that age! When he comes home he and his friends will do very 'grown up' things like go for a meal and a couple of beers. He's never been in a proper state, not once. I've picked him up several times from the pub, over the limit but not drunk. He says he's too busy at uni to be hungover all the time.

He does drive. No idea about sex, I don't want to know. I bought him some condoms when he went to uni and have left him to it other than to tell him when I had DS that babies who were much planned and wanted at the age of 30 are damn hard work so to bear in mind an unplanned accident at his age would be even harder - so use protection!

Agree 100% with annandale. Most have probably watched their parents making idiots of themselves too often. It's quite unpleasant.

Oh and social media - it's Snapchat and Whatsapp these days. Facebook and Instagram are for 'old people' (like me) apparently!

Yes snapchat scares me. My dc set it up for me, but I'm still unsure how to use it and also very worried incase I accidentally snap a picture of myself and it goes on my wall or whatever it's called. Story I think.
Very very scary. Derail over.

You say it's like he has taken a pledge - are you sure he hasn't?

I have a couple of teenage cousins (one in the UK and one in Germany) who are 'straight edge'
It's a fringe punk culture where you take a pledge to not drink, smoke or do drugs

This is very interesting. How do they rebel? I can't imagine a whole generation not rebelling...

@Maudlinmaud I set up snapchat and deleted it about a week later! I must be getting old I couldn't figure it out at all! And I don't want to look like a puppy

Our nephews are the same. Aged about 18 -22 and don't really drink. One got drunk once, his brother was mortified and still berates him about it now!

I was talking to my Mum and Dad the other week, they're convinced that 'this generation is all about drugs'. When I told them my (Trainspotting) generation is worst for drugs and theirs (baby boomers) for drinking they just couldn't process it.

sleep I stay away from selfies altogether I'm still (I think) quite a young parent but to my dc I'm ancient and no nada. In fairness the world has changed immensely since 1999 so they probably have a point.

My son's 25 and rarely drinks, though you'd think his career path would mean he did. He never puts anything on social media unless it's to do with his work, in which case it's in closed FB groups.

I heard a while ago that many of the university junior common rooms are being closed because so few of the undergraduates drink.

God I wish they were like that when I was at school! Felt like the proper odd one out.

Being teetotal I mean.

My ds2 doesn't drink. He is 16 and recently went to a party. I bought him some low alcohol beers to take.
He opened one and didn't like it.
Him and his mate drank vimto for the rest of the night.

What's app and snap chat here. No Twitter and a Facebook that dc don't use any more.

Not many of their year group drink but I know some do smoke weed as a girl was expelled recently for smoking it at lunch

DS2 hates alcohol and thinks he'll never drink.
DS 1 loves it and has taken to asking for a drop whenever DH and I open a bottle of wine, which worries me a bit. They both seem very fascinated by drugs but haven't taken any (afaik) because some friends of theirs have had really awful experiences due to drug use and that's scared them off.