Prevent Underage Drinking Before It Happens

Thank you Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board for sponsoring this post. Learn more about how you can prevent underage drinking at KnowWhenKnowHow.org.

I recently became aware that my 2 children are the target age to start talking to them about alcohol. There is a statewide campaign in Pennsylvania to offer parents guidance to start the conversations early with our children, and I’m taking advantage of it. The Know When. Know How. campaign is a resource offering research-based education and prevention tools and tips specifically targeted to parents of children ages 8 through 12. Kids age 8 to 11 are most receptive to parents’ input, and most PA parents believe it’s their job to educate kids about alcohol. Therefore, conversations about alcohol should start early and often, and don’t have to be one big intimidating “talk.”

We were coming into the holiday season and given there is typically alcohol present in most types of gatherings, I made it a point to start the conversations with my children. I kicked off a question and answer session with my son, Jed, age 9.

Me: Jed, tell me what you know about alcohol.
J: I think it’s poisonous to children and only parents can take how powerful it is.

Me: What would you do if someone not old enough to drink was trying to sneak a sip of alcohol at a party?
J: I would tell them to stop. It’s bad for them. I wouldn’t say “I dare you to try it” or anything like that. Then I would go tell a parent.

I really enjoyed hearing his perspective. I did see the opportunity to talk further through his assumptions like alcohol is poisonous to kids, though. We discussed the dangers of alcohol consumption for children and how excessive use by adults can be bad for them as well. We also talked about how underage drinking carries serious risks that can negatively impact a child’s development, cause nerve cell and brain damage.

At age 9, Jed is already a three-season athlete, participating in soccer, basketball and baseball. I want him to understand that drinking alcohol can prevent him from enjoying the sports he loves. If there are behaviors I can instill in my child now, that will decrease the risk for alcoholism and other abuse disorders later in life, I’m all for it. The more he learns as he matures, the better foundation he will have to make confident choices later.

One question I was a little nervous to ask was if he was ever given a sip of his Poppy’s beer. In years past this was not unheard of, albeit still illegal. The answer was met with a resounding no, and I breathed a little sigh of relief. I’m glad all my family members understand that there is a zero-tolerance approach to underage drinking in our home. . Especially since – even just a sip or on special occasions – is illegal and often opens the door to other risky behaviors. Adults need to consume alcohol responsibly and set good examples for the children to follow. Mom life is often challenging enough without adding the unnecessary risks and consequences related to underage drinking.

Time moves too fast to not start the conversations now. The next few years will fly by in the blink of an eye. Soon there will be no more days where my bed is overflowing with stuffed animals and little legs, and he will be off to college ordering lattes and texting on his own cell phone. The more we talk about underage drinking now, the better he will be prepared to combat peer pressure and make the right decisions for himself. That’s all this mom can ask.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.