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.

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.

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

Explore other ways to prevent underage drinking: