Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
Parents, your child's healthy brain is the key to their future. It affects who they are and who they'll become. Protecting that developing brain should be at the top of your priority list — and one of its biggest threats is underage drinking.
Research from the American Journal of Psychiatry shows that kids who drink underage have a consistently smaller hippocampus — the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory — than those who began drinking after the age of 21.
But here's another stat you might find interesting: Research shows that parents are the No. 1 reason why kids say they won't drink. Yes, even if you think your child doesn't listen to you, just the opposite is true. You have more power than you think and can do much to discourage your child from underage drinking
If that feels daunting or overwhelming, don't worry. To help you in this all-important task of arming your children with the facts about underage drinking, Parents Empowered — a statewide campaign to prevent underage drinking — has many helpful tips.
Here are nine ways you can prevent your child from underage drinking.
Start early
You might be surprised to learn that children begin making up their minds about alcohol between the ages of 9 and 13. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends talking to them as early as 9 years old.
If children grow up with the perception that drinking alcohol is fun, they're more likely to drink underage. Parents should teach them what alcohol can do to their brains and their bodies so that they have a clear understanding of its negative impacts.
Have little chats here and there
Don't feel like you have to dump all of the information about alcohol on your child in one big PowerPoint lecture and then never talk about it again. These lessons are much more meaningful when they happen in small, everyday moments on a consistent basis.
Bring it up at dinner, while you're driving in the car or when you're doing activities together. If you regularly bring it up, the more natural the conversations will be. It's also helpful to note that there is no perfect conversation — just having the conversation is what is really important.
You can download a PDF of good open-ended questions here.
Have a two-sided conversation
Chances are high that your child, like most children, doesn't enjoy being lectured. Educate them about the dangers of alcohol and ask them open-ended questions. That way, your child and you become empowered to find solutions together.
Once they share their answers with you, you can try role-playing through potential scenarios to help them prepare for real-life situations.
Have a plan
As part of your two-sided conversations, you can practice refusal skills with your child. Help them practice what they'll say or do if alcohol is present at someone's house or a party. Let them know that they can text or call you to pick them up if you need to. You can even set a code word that will let you know it's time to get them.
Have fun
Your kids will be more likely to trust what you say when they know that you genuinely love them and have their best interests at heart. Spending quality time together is key to developing strong family ties and relationships that can strengthen your influence on them.
Make your point clear
A Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey found that when kids believe their parents feel underage drinking is "very wrong," only 3% actually drink. But if they think their parents feel that it's just "wrong" or "a little wrong," the risk of underage drinking rises to almost 50%. Be very clear with your kids and set clear no underage drinking rules.
Never give your child alcohol
Yes, this seems like an obvious one. And yet, nearly half of Utah's underage drinking happens at home. In fact, 44% of Utah kids who drank in the last year did so at home with their parents' permission, according to the SHARP survey.
Even if your child is in a safe and controlled environment, it doesn't prevent harm to their still-developing brains and their increased risk of addiction. A study published on PubMed Central found that kids who get alcohol from their parents are at twice the risk of binge drinking when they're left unsupervised.
Take advantage of community resources
Preventing your child from underage drinking is important work — but you don't have to do it alone. There are several Parents Empowered outreach and mobilization efforts happening around the state and in your local community that are intended to make your job easier. Take advantage of them!
For example, Grantsville Communities That Care recently partnered with their local Youth Baseball League to promote the Parents Empowered message at their opening day festivities. They worked with their community to spread the message that parents are the number one reason kids choose not to drink. They also promoted family bonding by handing out some fun-free items that families could play with together.
There are many fun and easy ways to start a conversation with your kids about underage drinking. To find out what Parents Empowered activities and events are happening near you, visit the Parents Empowered website.
Don't give up
If your children are older and you haven't yet talked to them about the harms of underage drinking, it's never too late to have those conversations. You can start with any of the suggestions on this list or visit parentsempowered.org for more information and ideas.
