Every year the US designates April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Why April?
High School prom and graduation season is one of the riskiest times of year for teens. Along with celebrations, many teens decide to use alcohol to commemorate the occasion.
How can we as adults encourage our young people to have fun without booze?
Start with having a conversation. Expressing your disapproval of underage drinking is the single most important thing adults can do. Make sure you give them the facts. Scare tactics are no longer found to be effective.
Have dinner. What you say? Studies show that families who have dinner together are 33% less likely to use alcohol.
Accountability. Check in with your teens. Know where they are going and who they are going to be with.
Know who their friends are and whether or not they drink
Provide an escape route. If they find themselves in a risky situation, they can call you.
Underage drinking contributes to many unintended consequences such as:
- Promiscuity
- Violence
- Drug Use
- Academic Problems
- Motor Vehicle Crashes
April is a great time to start or conversation with teens if you haven’t already. If you have, it’s always good to remind them of your rules and consequences if those rules are not adhered to.
Let’s have a safe and sober prom and graduation season!