The Power of Choice – Middle School Edition February 2022, Issue 3

You’re Not Alone in Preventing Your Child From Drinking.

Approaching the topic of alcohol with children is a familiar challenge for many parents. Often, parents or guardians can feel a significant pressure to keep their adolescent from underage drinking. While parents play an important role in alcohol prevention, they are not alone. Their efforts can be more successful when they take advantage of additional support and resources.

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Have Conversations With Other Parents

Sometimes the best reminder is that you are not alone in your concerns or struggles. You will quickly find this out talking with other parents who have relatable feelings and experiences. If you are looking for guidance or advice for handling a situation with your teenager, try talking to a parent who has already been there. Learn from their experiences. Hear what worked and what didn’t. Getting to know the parents of your teenager’s friends is also a smart strategy. This is a helpful way to keep better tabs on your child. You will most likely also find that you are not alone in preventing your child from underage drinking. Many parents share this concern.

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Work With Your Child’s School

Learn what your student’s school is already doing to prevent underage drinking. Think about joining a school parent group to stay updated with school policies or provide your own input into future guidelines. Being involved in your student’s school also opens the door to directly connecting with other parents and administrators.

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Join A Local Coalition

Many communities support a focus on alcohol and other substance use prevention efforts. Consider researching to find organizations and parent committees in your area. Becoming a part of this type of community group provides an opportunity to converse with others who have similar goals, become more knowledgeable, and gain prevention strategies.

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Take Advantage of Online Resources

Thanks to the Internet, you can directly access countless resources that offer guidance and support to prevent your child from underage drinking. You have support navigating these tricky waters, look to what experts in this area have to say. Look into free resources provided by reputable agencies and organizations to support parents when it comes to substance use prevention:

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Funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.