How Do You Talk To Teens About Drinking?
Teenagers don’t announce to parents, “I drank a wine cooler” or “I smoked a joint.” Experimentation with drugs, alcohol and cigarettes is done with friends, in secret. Parents can never know for sure if their teens are drinking, taking drugs or smoking, but they can certainly participate in open dialogue imparting the information that kids need to make safe decisions. Here are 10 areas to include in your conversations about drinking. Find Out What Your Teen Knows. I talk with many teenagers who tell me that they can’t talk to their parents about drinking or drugs because their parents immediately “freak out” or “start with the lecture.” Teens are curious about adult things and the only way to find out what your teen knows is to stay open-minded and let teens talk about concerns and ideas as they come up. Not only will you find out what they are thinking and doing, but you can throw in your two cents. Give “Call Me” Instructions. Your son or daughter needs to be told specifically that t
