Controlling Teenagers Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol and teenagers are two components that are courting disaster, especially is there is a car involved. The problem of teenagers drinking alcohol has existed for many years, and parents are still trying to find the right answer to the problem. Next to teens getting pregnant, this is probably the most difficult problem parents have to face and the one that causes parents to become frustrated by teen. 

 The Beginning

Though not always the case, the problem of teenagers drinking alcohol is caused in part by the nonchalant attitude of the parents of the teen. Though this is not always the case, lack of discipline for teens can be a contributing factor, with this including parents who allow teens to have drinking parties in their homes. Parents who consistently have alcohol in the house and drink in front of the teenagers can also contribute to teenagers drinking alcohol.

Setting Guidelines and Limits

Parents who let their teens know what they consider acceptable behavior have a much better chance of preventing the problem of underage drinking. The problem of teenagers drinking alcohol is often the result of a lack of limitations or a totally defiant teenager who is unconcerned with rules and regulations. Rebellion is a part of growing up, of course, but when it comes to teenagers drinking alcohol, the need for more stringent control exists. This problem is not going to go away without some strict discipline and control, but to reach your teenager you need to do it in a loving and firm way. The road to alcoholism begins with teenagers drinking alcohol, and as a parent, you must stress to your teenager the potential for this becoming an adult issue. Your teenager may or may not believe you, but you must be firm and consistent in your refusal to condone this type of behavior.

Peer Pressure

The biggest contributing factor to teenagers drinking alcohol lies in the fact that all of his/her friends are doing it. Teenagers today are under so much more stress to conform that teenagers even twenty years ago were. Not only that, there is that need to “fit in” and to be popular. As a parent, you are responsible not only for setting limits, but making sure you have explained to your teenager the reason for the limits. Let your teenager know that because you love him/her, you cannot sit back and watch him/her self-destruct because of alcohol. This approach may not work for all teenagers, but if every parent collectively used this approach and enforced it, we could at least hope to greatly reduce the number of teenagers drinking alcohol.

What is the answer to teenagers drinking alcohol? Do we even have the answer to this question? The need exists for all parents to work together to wipe out this problem while there is still time. If we don’t do it now, the problem of teenagers drinking alcohol is going to get worse, and once you put an experienced driver behind the wheel of a car and add alcohol, you have a potential for serious injury or death, a time bomb getting ready to explode.

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