Strategies to influence kids who already drink alcohol
We know that a developing brain can be permanently affected by alcohol, from the day of conception right through into adolescence. Delaying that first drink for as long as possible is going to assist our kids to become the best they can be.
Unfortunately, for some parents their child is going to have a drink, enjoy the experience and going to continue to consume alcohol, no matter what they do. Does this mean we should ‘throw our hands in the air’ and give up? Of course not. As parents who want what’s best for our children we want to try to keep them safe as possible. However, one thing is for certain, whatever their age, you can’t change anyone who doesn’t want to change.
If you want things to change, you need to do the changing and that in turn will lead to changes in others. For parents this means if you want to influence your teenagers into changing their drinking habits, start by changing how you deal with the situation, and most probably your own drinking habits.
For practical strategies and expert advice select relevant age group below.