When talking to your teenager about alcohol,
firstly, ask questions about their views, and explain your side.
Talk about news items or stories you hear. And before you comment, ask your teenager questions about what they think….

• What do you think of the teenagers drinking alcohol in the park?
• Which of your classmates drink?
• When do you think is a good age to start drinking alcohol?
• Why?
• Why do you think teenagers drink?
• If someone offered you alcohol at a party, what would you say?
• How would you say ‘no’, if you wanted to?
• What would make it harder to say ‘no?’
• Why do you think it’s illegal for under 18’s to drink?
• What do you think about our views on alcohol?
• Why do you think we ask you to wait until then?

When you’ve listened to your teenager, it’s important to talk to them about your expectations of them regarding alcohol- and why. You can talk about the law and explain that you need them to keep them safe.

Secondly, discuss the dangers –
Teenagers are more likely to be persuaded if they understand the effects of alcohol.
So explain how alcohol can affect their appearance, fitness, and health.

• Alcohol dehydrates the skin,
• Increases spots
• And makes them put on weight. It’s really calorific!
• It also makes them smell as the alcohol comes out in their breath and sweat It will reduce their performance in sports and make them less fit
• Alcohol’s a depressant– so it will make them more prone to
• Depression,
• Anxiety and
• Stress and
• Relationship problems.
• It will affect their memory and coordination.
• It disturbs their sleep so makes them more tired and sluggish.
• It causes dehydration,
• Vomiting,
• And can cause alcohol poisoning,
• Unconsciousness
• And even death.
• It increases their risk of cancer
• Diabetes
• And liver disease.
• Teenagers who drink are more likely to be involved in a car crash,
• Or injure themselves.
• And because their self-control’s reduced, they’re much more at risk of
• Unprotected sex,
• Rape,
• Being physically attacked,
• Having things stolen,
• Getting into a fight,
• Taking mindless risks,
• And taking drugs.

Many teenagers who drink alcohol do it to forget their difficulties. So finally, help your teenager find other ways to deal with problems. This could be as simple as:

• Helping them to offload, by chatting to them every day,
• Helping them find practical ways to deal with the stress they’re under.
• Learning relaxation techniques
• Or it could be helping them access counselling or professional help if they need it.

So the three tips to talk to your teenager about alcohol are:

1. Ask questions and explain your views.
2. Help them understand the dangers.
3. And find more healthy ways to deal with problems.

If you found this useful, visit my website parent4success.com and sign up for my ‘Video tips for raising Teenagers’, and you’ll get my latest video blogs sent straight to your inbox.

If you need more than three tips on this – or you’d like to discover the secrets you need to have happy well-behaved, children – please contact me by clicking here. You can arrange a free 20-minute (no obligation) chat to find out if working with me personally (by phone, Skype or face-to-face) would help you and your family. Contact Elizabeth