Parents Can Help Prevent Underage Drinking
As the Program Specialist for MADD’s new statewide underage drinking prevention program, the Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence™, a common concern I hear parents voice is, ‘Do I have the same influence over my teen that his or her peers or the media has?’
The answer is, ‘Yes!’ Although it may not feel at times like your teen is paying attention, research shows you do have an influence. In fact, three out of every four kids say parents are the leading influence on their decisions about drinking alcohol.
Underage drinking is one of the worst dangers your teen faces, because alcohol presents a potentially serious, even deadly threat. Research shows that the brains of adults and teens respond differently to alcohol on a basic, physiological level. Because your teen’s brain is still developing, underage drinking can cause permanent damage, affecting memory, judgment, reasoning, and impulse control. In addition, adults feel drowsy and clumsy more quickly, so they typically quit drinking sooner. Teens can consume dangerous levels of alcohol before they recognize it’s time to stop, because their brains haven’t fully developed yet.
Your teen’s brain isn’t the only thing affected when they drink. There are also academic, intellectual, legal, and career risks. Teens who drink receive more D’s and F’s for grades and are more likely to flunk out, and teens who binge on alcohol engage in more risky sexual behavior. That means if your teen drinks, he or she is at a greater risk for becoming a parent before graduating high school or college. A teen can also face legal consequences for purchasing alcohol, having alcohol, consuming alcohol, and driving under the influence or while intoxicated. If caught drinking, your teen could face disciplinary action at high school or college. Poor grades, disciplinary actions, and legal troubles will shrink your teen’s career choices, whether the goal was military, a trade, advanced education, or other employment. Finally, they are at an increased risk for addiction and substance abuse. Early drinking increases the odds that your child will become addicted to alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.
In spite of all of this, we still hear about parents allowing kids to drink in the home. It is important for parents to understand that multiple studies, in both the United States and Europe, have consistently shown that kids who are permitted to drink in their homes, drink more often and in larger amounts outside the home when their parents are not around.
The dangers of underage drinking are very real for teens. But as parents, you have the power to make a difference! MADD offers free, 35-minute Parent Workshops during which parents and caregivers receive a free parent handbook that provides guidance for communicating with teens about alcohol. The parent handbook was created based on scientifically proven results by Dr. Robert Turrisi and his colleagues at Pennsylvania State University. Some of the advice given in the handbook includes having specific, ongoing conversations with your teens, setting clear agreements about non-use of alcohol, and enforcing consequences when agreements are not met.
On April 17th MADD partnered with Suburban Hospital to hold a Parent Workshop, attended by WUSA9’s Andrea McCarren. The Parent Workshop, along with a series of similar events nationwide, drew attention to Power Talk 21 Day, the national day to start talking to kids about alcohol. Click here to view a clip of the Parent Workshop.
One upcoming event that will provide a great opportunity to talk with your teen about alcohol and have a positive impact on your community is Walk Like MADD, this Saturday, May 12th at Baltimore’s Federal Hill Park. Visit www.walklikemadd.org/baltimore for more information, to form or join a team, to volunteer, or to support the Walk.
To find a Parent Workshop in your community or to locate sources for this article, visit www.madd.org/powerofparents. For additional information, contact us at md.state@madd.org.
Buzz Beeler
11:12 am on Friday, May 11, 2012
Great article. Too often parents contribute to the problem by allowing this activity in their homes in the misguided belief that under their supervision this illegal act can be controlled.
Chet Brewer
7:56 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
The Maryland Law is:
Underage Drinking: Underage Possession of Alcohol
Possession is prohibited WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTION(S):
private residence
AND EITHER parent/guardian OR spouse.
So the real question is do you allow your children to drink in the house and is there a way to do it and teach them to drink responsibly.
In general I worry about my kids drinking and dealing with the consequences, but I also want them to be able to enjoy a glass of wine with a good meal or have a glass of champagne at a special occasion. Its interesting that I have practiced this with our kids and when my son was on trip to France a few years ago he was one of the few kids that did not get into trouble for drinking when it was legal at 16. Was it because I attempted to teach them to drink responsibly and it was not a mystery or was I just lucky.
I have had several clear and frank discussions with them about the consequences of not drinking responsibly. Don;t know but I disagree with the premise that allowing children to drink is either stupid or irresponsible. What I do know is my kids never been drunk to my knowledge, and they tend to look on drinking by their peers with a lot of disdain. Maybe I'm fooled but I don't think so. I do know that they have never seen me drunk, never seen me driving when impaired, etc.
Other Tim
9:26 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
I did not know that. The website ProCon.org confirmed it.
CB9678
8:57 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Yes but the problem is many parents believe they can be the parent for a large group and are not teaching what responsible alcohol consumption is. They are simply trying to be the cool party parents.
Ali Borkowicz
2:23 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012
Awesome article. As a 22 year old college student, I see the negative outcomes that binge drinking and drinking while under the influence have on underage individuals and even of age individuals. Parents do need to teach their kids about these effects that alcohol have. The younger they teach them, the more knowledgable they will be about the subject. Also, parents need to stick to their guns. If you tell your kids there will be no drinking in the house or when they go out, stand your ground. Don't let a few instances slide by. You will regret it.
volunteer mom
9:06 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
First of all, how do you tell your kids that it is ok to break laws. The law is 21 and by telling them that then can drink at home is still breaking the laws. Too many mixed signals!! Follow some laws but not all??
volunteer mom
9:07 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Also, HCPS is not helping us parents in stressing to stay away from drinking and drugs. I think it need to be told that as of July 2012, HCPS is changing their policy as far as sports and extra curricular events. The code of conduct/ expectation waiver that students and parent sign will be changed for fall sports this year. It will now state that any behavior done off school property and not at a school function, is not a chargable offense as far as the school goes. They will no longer be able to suspend or kick a child off a team if they are caught participating in any illegal activity such as drinking and drugs. Staff/Coaches have been told that if they see their team hanging out drinking and/or doing drugs, all they can do is turn their back and walk away!! I guess we will no longer hold our athletes to a higher standard!
volunteer mom
9:07 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
I was told by the BOE that after the Fallston athletes got caught last year for under age drinking, they hired lawyers claiming that their children rights were being taken away. The county cannot afford to go to court with every family, so we as parents will suffer because of a few that do not want to hold their children accountable! I do remember when CMW suspended their whole JV football season because of illegal activity and NHHS kicked kids off the track team and suspended for football players for their behavior, So not all schools feel this behavior is acceptable!.I was always told and raised my child that "SPORTS ARE A PRIVLAGE, NOT A RIGHT" I really wish that this subject would be looked into and be put in the media prior to July instead of being kept so quiet!!
Ashley
11:00 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Volunteer Mom - Why are you holding the school responsible for your duties as a parent? YOU should be holding your child accountable for their actions, not them. YOU are the parent and it is YOUR responsibility to discipline and raise them. Not the schools. I absolutely agree with their new policy that they're instating. Why should the school get involved for actions that don't take place on school grounds or a school activity? Personally I feel like that is overstepping their boundaries. If I get a citation for something when I'm not at work or on the clock I'm not going to be punished at my job unless it directly effects it. For example, I drive for a living and I get a DUI. Yes, then it would hurt my job. Otherwise, no. Why should it be any different with the school? It's up to the parents to remove a child from a sport as punishment, not the school. The school shouldn't even know about it unless the parents inform them.
The school didn't get pregnant and have a kid, so why do you expect them to raise them? Their job is to educate them in the academic subjects, life lessons are the parents job.
volunteer mom
11:31 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I am in no way asking for anybody to take my responsiblities as a parent. If my child gets caught or I assume they are doing anything, I will hold them accountable. I do not feel that this should be ignored by the school system for the safety of others just as one good reason! Using your example above, if you get a DUI you can loss the privlege of your drivers license for the safeyty of others but still have a job if lucky. Same goes for school, you can still be educated but loose the privlege of after school activities. Every level higher then HS and in jobs,, you can be drug tested and kicked out, so what are we teaching these kids!!
Ashley
12:00 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Most schools do drug test for sports and most people don't lose their license for their first DUI. My point is that the responsibility is on the parents, not the school. That isn't their job. Just like it isn't my employers job to make sure I'm not out there getting speeding tickets. The state will make sure I get fined and do what I need to and if an underage person gets in trouble for drinking, it should be the parents that take the appropriate action. School shouldn't be involved at all.
CB9678
1:44 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Ashley,
I am afraid you are out of touch with the reality of MD interscholastic sports. I know of no school or system which drug tests for sports. Mainly because it is cost prohibitive. The former HCPS policy stated that the use of drugs or alcohol could result in your removal from sports. Soon that will not be the case!
volunteer mom
12:17 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
So are you saying that the state/courts should hold you accountable and your job should give you a bonus?? School is for an education and sports/clubs are a bonus! HCPS do not and are not allowed to give drug tests, as I wish they could. There are already so many fights and issues on our fields that I dont think we need to have any known users there to aggrivate things even worse. If you have been paying attention, HCSD has been putting so much of our tax dollars to help the excessive drug use in our county. What a slap in the face our school board is doing to help them! As a parent, in todays world, I do my best to keep on top of my kids and keep them away from these choices. One great tool has always been that as an athlete, you make a choice to play sports or do drugs. But now in HS it is ok but if you get the privilage in college, its not. Thank makes no sense!!
Ashley
1:09 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
No, I'm saying that what happens outside of school stays outside of school. Just like what happens when I'm off the clock stays outside of work. The rampant drug problem in Harford County is hardly limited to teenagers as it's more of a prescription drug problem which adults abuse just as much (if not more) than the teenagers. Ask anyone who works in a pharmacy and they'll tell you that.
As for the sports thing, HS and college are completely different. In college you are an adult and responsible for your choices, HS you're a minor and while still responsible you're expected to make mistakes. That's part of being a teenager. In college there is no parent to discipline you (and you should know better by that point) so the penalties will be higher, in high school, well, like I said, the parent should be handling that. Don't blame the school systems practices when it's the parent's responsibility.
CB9678
1:47 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Veronia v Acton actually does give school systems to implement random drug testing.
volunteer mom
1:52 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I wish Harford County and all of Maryland would do drug tests! That would make many parents happy!!
volunteer mom
1:42 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The drug problem in Harford is not just kids but has increased huge amounts in the middle and high school levels. Also the number one drug of choice, used to be prescription drugs but because of the cost factor, herion is one of the favorite. Ask the HCSD who deal with this every day. Just as any job has the right to set rules and guidelines, our school system should too.Being that they do not have to offer sports but do as a privilege, they definately have the right to take them away. If a child struggles in a class and fails a quarter, they cannot play sports but if you are shooting up herion or dealing it to others, you can still play. Really??? This does not only pertain to drinking & drugs,it includes robbery, rape, assault etc.
Lauren Modica
10:14 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Great article! I totally agree!