The Internet-powered network culture has made to waste many of the legal and safe boundaries of generations past, through “friend communities” defining a world without limits, and the ever present stream of new norms of the popular culture.
Once such new norm is the belief that alcohol on the adolescent brain in inconsequential. Binge drinking is safe; just don’t drive while under the influence.
Recent surveys from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and personal experience having raised two sons reveal that parents are providing youth with alcohol and/or supervising parties with alcohol.
We were all teenagers once. We have all experienced pushing the limits, exploring the forbidden.
The belief today, however, is that teens are going to drink anyway, so we can make them be “safe” under adult supervision.
I have also heard numerous parents express concerns about being a hypocrite as many of us drank some alcohol as teenagers and our children know it – so how can we forbid it?
Alan Baker is the Chair of the Social Host Committee for the Coalition for Placer Youth, who has completed a review of the literature about different cultures and underage drinking.
“Drinking is an ‘age appropriate activity’. We don’t give solid food to our babies until they are at least 4 months old, we don’t let kids drive until 16, and we don’t let them drink until 21”, Baker said, “The younger a teen is when they start drinking the more likely they will develop alcohol dependence.”
Baker asks our parent community to consider the following:
- If we reduce access to alcohol we can reduce the teen drinking rate, which in turn should reduce the addiction rate.
- Parenting is really important. Teens that have a great relationship with their parents are much less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol.
- Parents who supervise teenage drinking parties are making their teens less safe, rather than safer.
Parent Resources
- Banana Moments
- Smart Money for Smart Schools
- Coalition for Placer Youth
- Full Circle Treatment Center
- Recovery Happens
- Pathway to Recovery
(Ref: 432-e)
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