Help Kids Stay Away from Alcohol

Every time kids sit down and watch a sport event on TV with their parents, they are subjected to ads showing how fun drinking is. Familykenkel offers some tips for parents to help kids stay away from alcohol.

It is important that children know what the effects of drinking are. So here are some facts to get started:

• 190,000 kids under age 21 end up in emergency rooms every year due to drinking
• Drinking affects the part of their developing brains which control thinking, memory and decision making. That damage is not temporary but last for a time. If you get stupid drunk now you will be just plain stupid later.
• Waiting until they are 21 to drink ensures they will have a fully functioning brain later and be better able to make sound decisions later.

Parents can set a good example by not over indulging themselves. Have plenty of open discussions about alcohol and especially when a teen’s favorite celebs get in trouble when drunk. Set rules for kids. They need the boundaries to know what is proper and what is not. Be tough. Let them know what happens when they drive drunk. The Familykenkel reminds readers that some state laws are stricter than others, and it is best to inform children what will happen to them if they are arrested for drunk or buzzed driving. Good luck.