MADD offers sobering facts on kids and alcohol

It’s teen party season, with spring break on and prom and graduation bashes not far behind.

And for parents of teens come more worries about safety and the ever-present temptation for the kids to drink.

Janet Mondshein, executive director of the Miami chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, offers some sobering facts in a chat with MomsMiami.
The average age of a first-time drinker is 12. Some parents give it to the kids. Why this is a bad idea:
The earlier a child drinks, the more likely he will become alcohol-dependent. If a child drinks before 15, he is five times more likely to develop alcohol issues than if he started drinking at 21.
About 5,000 young people die each year as a result of underage drinking. That includes auto wrecks, homicides, suicides and other accidents.
Alcohol affects young developing brains differently than adult brains. It can cause permanent brain damage and affect memory and impulse control. It can lead to poor performance in school. It affects judgment, which can lead to unwanted pregnancies, rape, suicide and criminal behavior.
Well-meaning parents think if a child drinks at home, under parental supervision, she won’t be tempted to go out and get wild and drink elsewhere. But kids don’t distinguish between the two: Permission is permission.
Serving alcohol to minors — even at a graduation or prom party — is against the law. And if something happens as a result of serving alcohol to minors, you can be held responsible and prosecuted.
If you believe your child has an alcohol or drug problem, call experts like Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-A-Teen or MADD, a family doctor or hotline for advice. If your child is not responding to you, get her to talk to someone else. Some kids don’t want to be lectured by parents. Find other parents going through the same thing for support.
If you drink in front of the kids, do so moderately and teach them that there are things kids can’t do that adults can.
Teach your kids to make good choices. Have a close relationship and open dialog from when they’re very little and you have a good chance of raising responsible kids.

Merced Sun-Star

It’s teen party season, with spring break on and prom and graduation bashes not far behind.

And for parents of teens come more worries about safety and the ever-present temptation for the kids to drink.

Janet Mondshein, executive director of the Miami chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, offers some sobering facts in a chat with MomsMiami.

The average age of a first-time drinker is 12. Some parents give it to the kids. Why this is a bad idea:

The earlier a child drinks, the more likely he will become alcohol-dependent. If a child drinks before 15, he is five times more likely to develop alcohol issues than if he started drinking at 21.

About 5,000 young people die each year as a result of underage drinking. That includes auto wrecks, homicides, suicides and other accidents.

Alcohol affects young developing brains differently than adult brains. It can cause permanent brain damage and affect memory and impulse control. It can lead to poor performance in school. It affects judgment, which can lead to unwanted pregnancies, rape, suicide and criminal behavior.

Well-meaning parents think if a child drinks at home, under parental supervision, she won’t be tempted to go out and get wild and drink elsewhere. But kids don’t distinguish between the two: Permission is permission.

Serving alcohol to minors — even at a graduation or prom party — is against the law. And if something happens as a result of serving alcohol to minors, you can be held responsible and prosecuted.

If you believe your child has an alcohol or drug problem, call experts like Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-A-Teen or MADD, a family doctor or hotline for advice. If your child is not responding to you, get her to talk to someone else. Some kids don’t want to be lectured by parents. Find other parents going through the same thing for support.

If you drink in front of the kids, do so moderately and teach them that there are things kids can’t do that adults can.

Teach your kids to make good choices. Have a close relationship and open dialog from when they’re very little and you have a good chance of raising responsible kids.

source: Merced Sun-Star

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Recognizing the Need for Alcohol Addiction Treatment

It’s never too late to seek help for an addiction to alcohol but there are some ways that we can learn to recognize the need for alcohol addiction treatment long before the severe consequences and physical illness begin to fully set in. If you or someone you love drinks alcohol regularly, there’s a chance that….

A mindful distraction for pain and depression

CAN THE WAY you chew a raisin affect the way you experience pain? Trials at St James’s and AMNCH (Tallaght) Hospitals in Dublin are beginning to look at how “mindfulness meditation” can be used to help people cope with a diverse range of problems including chronic pain, depression, anxiety, cardiac difficulties and even psoriasis. “Mindfulness….

Drink Less Alcohol

The desire to drink more than we would like to is an emotional habit. A lot of people think that they are alcoholics, but they’re not – they are just stressed and emotional drinkers. There is nothing wrong with them. They have got themselves into a bit of a bad habit; a bad habit that….

Teens Cite Ease of Access To Drugs

A growing number of teenagers say it’s easier to illegally obtain prescription drugs than to buy beer, according to a survey published today. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University asked: “Which is easiest for someone your age to buy: cigarettes, beer, marijuana, or prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin….

Say No to alcohol

The alcohol problem in Mauritius is a serious one and is considered as a burden for the Ministry of Health. A survey carried out recently reveals that 50% of male adults and 28% of women adults consume alcohol while there were 15% young adults who take it more than once a week. Moreover, around 45%….