Talking to your Teens about Underage Drinking

Sarah Grady Ackerman talks with Kristen Allen from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) about how important it is for parents to start talking to their teens about underage drinking. MADD has the Power of Parents program that helps parents start having that conversation with their teens about alcohol. It is an actual handbook that includes tips, conversation starters, research, etc. Parents can read wherever part they want, as each family is different. It starts that conversation or it helps to continue that conversation. Anytime is a good time to start that conversation. They see that 1 in 3 eighth graders have tried alcohol. It gives the parents a chance to say well even if my kids aren’t doing it, I still want to have that conversation with them. A couple of examples include asking, “What do you see your friends doing?”, “Are they going to parties?”, “How are they getting home?”, “Do you see your friends drinking?” Its not that you are asking them directly, you are asking them about their friends. As far as starting the conversation with your teens, the sooner is always better than later. Kids who drink at a younger age are 7 times likely to get involved in an alcohol related crash.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving