Who Influences Your Child About Alcohol Use?

April is the 26th Annual National Alcohol Awareness Month, and the Novato Blue Ribbon Coalition for Youth will provide you information on how to talk to your kids about alcohol use, as well as tools and tips on how to keep alcohol out of the hands of youth.

Alcohol: Who is influencing your child?

PARENTS:  Parents have the greatest influence on a child's decision to drink.

Children not only model their actions and attitudes toward alcohol after their parents, they look to their parents to set rules and expectations about drinking. Poor and inconsistent parenting has been associated with early and excessive drinking among children.

What you can do: Provide your child with clear, consistent rules, and make it a point to be involved in his or her life. If you drink, set a good example by drinking in moderation.

FRIENDS: If your child's friends use alcohol, your child is more likely to drink, too.

During adolescence, a child's friends impact a lot of his or her decisions, including whether or not to try alcohol. Since children want to fit in with their peers, they might try alcohol just because everyone else is doing it.

What to do: Get to know your child's friends. Focus on their positive friends. If they have friends you are concerned about, try pointing out your reservations about them to your child, or limit the amount of time he or she spends with them. You should also discuss ways your child can avoid drinking when he or she feels pressure from peers.

SIBLINGS: Children who have older brothers or sisters who drink are more likely to use alcohol.

An older brother or sister often serves as a mentor whom the younger children look up to and want to emulate. If the older child drinks, he or she sends the message that underage drinking is OK, and might even provide alcohol for the younger child.

What to do: Remind your older child that he or she serves as a role model for the younger brother or sister, and that your rules and expectations about drinking apply to all underage family members. If the older sibling is of legal drinking age, ask him or her to always drink in moderation, and to never offer alcohol to their underage sibling or their friends.

OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS: 30 percent of children age 12–14 get alcohol from a family member.

As children get older, they tend to think their relatives are somehow a bit cooler than their parents. Since family members like uncles and cousins don't set the rules about underage drinking, they might not think about how their drinking behavior may influence your child or they may even offer him or her a drink.

What to do: Talk to them about what your rules and expectations about drinking are for your child, and ask them to help enforce these rules. If they choose to drink around your child, ask them to always drink in moderation.

OTHER ADULT AUTHORITY FIGURES: People such as teachers, coaches and clergy are around your child on a regular basis. They can help reinforce expectations and penalties regarding alcohol use by students and can also notice changes in your child's behavior.

What to do: Have a one-on-one conversation with your child's teacher, coach or religious figure about how important it is that your child abstains from underage drinking. Ask them to let you know if they notice changes in your child's behavior, or if they suspect your child might be drinking.

OTHER PARENTS: Every family has different values and rules when it comes to underage drinking. Some parents might allow their children to drink, or even provide alcohol to their child's friends.

What to do: Get to know the parents of your child's friends — and their views on underage drinking. While they might have different rules for their own children, make it clear what your rules are for your child. If you feel they won't uphold your values, don't let your child go to their house.

To create your own “Action Plan” – visit http://underagedrinking.samhsa.gov/ for step by step, personalized plan on how to talk to your child about alcohol.

For more information visit www.NovatoBlueRibbon.org or contact Nikki Buckstead at nbuckstead@novatoyouthcenter.org