Healthy Relationship with Parents Can Prevent Teen Drinking Problems

Posted on Aug 23, 2010

Alcohol abuse in young people is becoming a major problem to the point that the American Academy of Pediatrics are advising pediatricians to start screening teenagers and even sixth graders due to the health risks involved. But, how can parents get involved and prevent their teenagers from drinking at such a young age?

Listed below are 4 ways for parents to build a healthy relationship with their teens in the hopes of preventing drinking at an early age.

1. Good Parent-child Relationship

The circumstances in which a child drinks his first drink and how parents deal with it, is critical to building a healthy parent-child relationship. A recent study suggests that teens that have a strong relationship with their parents may start drinking at a later age. Parents’ involvement can also influence both a later drinking age and a high-quality relationship with their teens. The data also revealed that these teens who had a good parent-child relationship also had a lower risk of drinking problems compared with their peers.

2. Trust and Privacy

Trust and privacy is a major issue among parents and teens. Parents need to learn to trust their teenagers and give them some privacy from time to time. If the child doesn’t feel that he or she can confide and trust his/her parents, then the child will shy away from talking to them about anything, including drinking. Also, when in the doctor’s office, teenagers should be given some privacy to communicate one-on-one with their doctor on a confidentially basis without parents’ presence.

3. Communication and Respect

Communication is the key in building a healthy relationship with teens. Talk with them about your family’s history of alcohol or drug use. There’s a genetic connection to alcoholism, and kids should know if they are at risk for alcoholism also. Teenagers should be able to feel that they can discuss their problems with their parents and that their parents respect their feelings.

4. Rules and Prevention

You are still the parents, so there should still be rules. Set some rules and abide by them. Have a no alcohol, drugs, or tobacco until age 21 policy in the household. Talk to them about alcohol and its’ dangers such as drunk driving, drinking laws etc… And keep a close eye on their behavior and the friends they hang out with. Let them know that this is about keeping them safe and not to control their lives.

Alcohol Abuse and its Effects on Teenagers

Research shows that during the teenage year, the brain is in an amazing developmental phase. It shows that the brain growth spurt gives teens remarkable cognitive powers, but also leaves their brains more vulnerable to the damaging effects of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and other harmful substances. Recent research has also shown that the sooner teenagers start drinking alcohol or using drugs; the more likely they are to have problems with academics, jobs, and relationships as adults.

Remember, as parents you play a very important role when it comes to your children’s risk of alcohol abuse. Building a strong and healthy relationship with your children can prevent them from early drinking problems. Your teenager may not show it, but they still view you as their biggest role models!

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Drunk Driving – Become a designated driver

Posted on Aug 19, 2010

Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous and a risk you are taking when you get behind the wheels of a motor vehicle and choose to drive. Drink and drive and you put yourself in danger, other passengers and everyone else around you at risk.

One Day it Will All Come Crashing Down

Maybe not today, or even tomorrow, but one day it will eventually happen. One minute you’ll be having a good ole time drinking, then the next it can all come crashing down on you before you know it. And even though most drunk drivers may make it home safely, without getting caught or causing a fatal car wreck does not change the fact that drunk driving is dangerous and should be taken seriously. And for most, not getting caught reinforces the bad attitude towards driving while intoxicated.

DUI/DWI Lasting Effects

Driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) and getting caught, being arrested and taken to jail, have a long lasting effect on your life. Some of these long lasting effects are:

• The loss of your driver’s license
• Loss of current job and future employment opportunities
• Seizure of your motor vehicle
• Higher auto insurance rates or denial of auto insurance
• Your integrity will be shattered
• Hefty fines which will affect your finances

Getting caught is just the tip of the iceberg, being in a fatal car crash has even more serious consequences like long-term medical problems, death and even life sentences.

Be Responsible – Assign a designated driver

But all of these long lasting effects can be prevented if you drink responsibly and if you’ve had too much to drink, get a designated driver to take you home. A designated driver can be someone who does not drink, someone who didn’t have anything to drink – someone who is sober, or you can call a taxi, or a friend or family member to pick you up and take you home safely.

Public Attitude towards Alcohol Abuse – Personal responsibility

Public attitude needs to change towards alcohol consumption and drunk driving. The nonchalant attitude we see today and making drinking and driving something normal and just a part of life is irresponsible and needs to change. Despite all the DWI laws, a change will not happen unless the general public makes decides to take responsibility for their actions and drink responsibly. The real solution to drinking and driving lies with the people. We have a personal responsibility to ourselves, for each other and every person you stop from driving while under the influence.

Some may argue that the real solution to drunk driving begins with personal responsibility, what is your opinion?

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Drunk Driving – Is your child at risk?

Posted on Aug 12, 2010

Does drunk driving put your children at risk? Drunken driving is definitely a risky habit. People who drive while intoxicated are not only a risk to themselves; they are a risk to their own children. Most rational people would concede this point. Certainly everyone can agree that alcohol abuse affects children.

DWI Drivers Concern for Child Safety

Most Americans are willing to make concessions when it comes to child protection issues and this says a lot about the nation. People that participate in risky behaviors like driving while intoxicated are not considering the risk to themselves so they probably do not have your children in mind when they drink and drive. Those who abuse alcohol are on one level when it comes to self-destruction and those who go further down this path and put others in peril by driving while intoxicated just do not care about your child’s safety.

Drunk Driving In Teenagers

Another aspect of child endangerment is teenagers who drink and drive and grow up thinking this is normal behavior. Teen drunk driving statistics in US is alarming. Yes, your teenager is at risk if they drink and drive but also from others who carelessly do so. The carelessness of others has made it necessary for laws to be passed and the curtailment of some freedom in order to curb to reckless action of a few.

DWI With Children in the Car

There are those who drive drunk and do it with children in the vehicle with them. These people are not satisfied with endangering themselves and other drivers on the highways but they include there own children also.

Statistics for DWI with Children in the Vehicle

DWI statistics for people that drive drunk with kids in the vehicle with them are eye opening. Research by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) shows that over 2,000 children died in DWI related accidents from 1997 to 2002. The report says 70% of the kids who lost lives were passengers in the cars driven by drunk drivers.

Children That Die In DWI Accidents

The NHTSA (National Highway Safety Administration) says in the year 2003 traffic accidents crashes were the number one cause of fatalities in kids from the ages of 2 and 14. The same organization’s study states that in 2004 over 20 % of the kids that died in traffic accidents in the same year were involved in DWI accidents. About, 50 % of these children were riding in the vehicles with drunken drivers.

Tougher DWI Laws to Protect Children

For a long time now, groups that advocate for tougher DWI laws have been asking for laws to increase the drunk driving penalties for DWI with children in the car. A few states have focused on fighting drunk driving with kids in the vehicle and made it a priority issue. However these states are a small minority most states do not make it a priority at all.

Drunk Driving Risk to Children Addressed

In the beginning of this decade, a law was passed in Wyoming, according to which first-time DWI offenders with kids in their vehicle face up to 6 months in jail. For a second offense of DWI with children in the vehicle, one could be charged with a felony that is punishable by up to five years in prison under this law.

So is your child at risk because of drunk driving? You be the judge!

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