Talking to Your Child About Drinking

Talking to your child about alcohol

Kids, even younger ones, are curious about alcohol – so it’s important to talk to your child early and often about the risks and impacts of drinking. Nearly 60% of Idaho teens reported having a conversation with their parents about alcohol and other drugs in the past year.

Talking to your child about alcohol

Kids, even younger ones, are curious about alcohol – so it’s important to talk to your child early and often about the risks and impacts of drinking. Nearly 60% of Idaho teens reported having a conversation with their parents about alcohol and other drugs in the past year.

TONE, TIME, AND PLACE

Talking to your child about alcohol doesn’t have to involve a formal conversation. In fact, other, more casual approaches may work better depending on your child’s temperament.

Talking while driving or on a walk can make a conversation feel lighter. Without constant eye contact, your child may feel less like they’re in the spotlight.
Use teachable moments when you see alcohol-related headlines on social media or in the news about celebrities, sports figures, musicians, or community members.

Your child will be more likely to engage if you really listen and come across as a trusted resource instead of as an authoritarian figure. Creating a family culture in which your child feels comfortable discussing anything and everything means they’ll be more likely to share information and ask for advice.

Tone, Time, and Place

Talking to your child about alcohol doesn’t have to involve a formal conversation. In fact, other, more casual approaches may work better depending on your child’s temperament.

Talking while driving or on a walk can make a conversation feel lighter. Without constant eye contact, your child may feel less like they’re in the spotlight.
Use teachable moments when you see alcohol-related headlines on social media or in the news about celebrities, sports figures, musicians, or community members.

Your child will be more likely to engage if you really listen and come across as a trusted resource instead of as an authoritarian figure. Creating a family culture in which your child feels comfortable discussing anything and everything means they’ll be more likely to share information and ask for advice.

WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY

You can tailor your message to be appropriate for your child’s age. Use the guidelines and resources below and find more detailed ideas at drugfree.org.

Young children

You might explain to 7- to 12-year-olds that alcohol is for grown-ups because adults have stopped “growing” and therefore their development won’t be impacted by moderate alcohol intake. Let your child know that “kid brains” don’t really stop developing until their mid-20s, and alcohol can hurt brains during this growth period. You can also keep it simple for younger kids and explain that alcohol isn’t legal until age 21.

Teens

Let your child know that the majority (74%) of Idaho high school students choose not to drink, which means it’s actually more popular not to drink.

Keep these 5 conversation goals in mind when talking to kids about alcohol and other drugs.
Underage Drinking Conversation Starters provide ideas to initiate and maintain a productive conversation.
This Family Agreement Form on Avoiding Alcohol and Other Drugs will help establish family rules about underage drinking and substance use.
Check out this Be the Parent’s blog post to learn more about how and when to talk to your child about alcohol.

Also, feel free to use the talking points from this video to help inform your discussion:

WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY

You can tailor your message to be appropriate for your child’s age. Use the guidelines below and find more detailed ideas at drugfree.org.

Young children

You might explain to 7- to 12-year-olds that alcohol is for grown-ups because adults have stopped “growing” and therefore their development won’t be impacted by moderate alcohol intake. Let your child know that “kid brains” don’t really stop developing until their mid-20s, and alcohol can hurt brains during this growth period. You can also keep it simple for younger kids and explain that alcohol isn’t legal until age 21.

Teens

Let your child know that the majority (74%) of Idaho high school students choose not to drink, which means it’s actually more popular not to drink.

Keep these 5 conversation goals in mind when talking to kids about alcohol and other drugs.
Underage Drinking Conversation Starters provide ideas to initiate and maintain a productive conversation.
This Family Agreement Form on Avoiding Alcohol and Other Drugs will help establish family rules about underage drinking and substance use.
Check out this Be the Parent’s blog post to learn more about how and when to talk to your child about alcohol.

Also, feel free to use the talking points from this video to help inform your discussion: