: aLSe aye ah Help Your Kid Say No To Underage Drinking (NAPSA)—How do you prepare your child with the knowledge, skills and confidenceto say no to alcohol? The task can seem challenging, but you as a parent or caregiver do not have tofeel powerless. You can take action to help your child make healthy decisions that prevent underage drinking. activities helps avoid the chance that idle timeis filled with potentially dangerous behavior. 4. Balance your child’s indepen- dence with safe boundaries. Provide daily encouragement to your child to boost self-esteem and confidence. Find waysfor your child to have more responsibility in family life, such as doing chores or caring for a youngersibling. Set clear While the rates are declining, al- cohol is the most widely misused substance among America’s youth and underage drinking remains a serious expectations, including about alcohol concern in the U.S. The 2016 Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking finds that youth start drinking at an early age. Although the peak years of underage drinking happen from 7th to 11th grade, 10 percent of 9- to 10-year-olds have already started drinking and nearly one-fifth of underage drinkers begin before age 13. ‘The reportalso finds that any alcohol use can have serious consequences for young people. It contributes to risky sexual behavior and increases the risk of suicide and using other drugs. It can negatively impact brain development, which can have lifelong ef- fects. It can increasethe risk for heavy drinking later in life. And underage drinking can result in arrest or, worse yet, death from drunk driving or alcohol poisoning. So what’s behind this issue? There are many reasons young people are tempted to drink, including peer pressure. Underage drinking typically happens in a group, and for adolescents the desire to fit in is powerful. Other risk factors include having a history of Spending time with your children can prevent underage drinking. How Parents Can Help 1. Be a positive role model. Chil- dren learn from observing and that starts at home. Don't let your child see you misuse alcohol or drugs, and get help if you think you have a substance use problem. Even if you have misused drugsor alcoholin thepast, you canstill have an open conversation about their dangers and the reasons to stay away from them.In addition, keep temptation away by safeguarding alcohol and medications at homeso they are not accessible to yourchild. 2. Strengthen family bonds. Be involved in your child’s life and spend more time together. Show interest in yourchild’s activities and plan ones you can do together based on their interests, social and emotional problems, such such as attending sports games or having family movie or game nights. Know yourchild’s daily routine in and out. Get to know yourchild’s friends andfriends’ parents, so you can share your rules about not allowing any form of alcohol or substanceuse. difficult life transitions, such as divorce volved in extracurricular activities. In the same way, support your child’s as depression, and a family history of substance abuse. Trying to cope with in the family or moving from middle to high school, can also trigger underage drinking. ‘The first-ever Surgeon General's Re- port on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health shows how parents are a leading influence in a child’s decision about whetherto drink. 3. Encourage yourchild to get in- involvement in school clubs, such as debate or yearbook, team sports or other outside interests. Doing so will help build your child’s confidence, respect, leadership, sportsmanship and ability to work with others. Also, keeping your child engaged in positive and drug use. Create a pledge between you and your child that commits your child to notdrink or use drugs. 5. Talk to your children regularly aboutalcohol. Young people are more likely to listen when they know your're on their side. Try to reinforce why you don't want your child to drink—not just because you say so but because you want them to be happy andsafe. The conversation will go a lot betterif you're working with, and not against, yourchild. Keep it low key. Don’t worry about getting everything across in one talk. Many small talks are better. Help for Parents If you are worried your child may be involved with alcohol or drugs, it’s important to seek professional guidance. Your pediatrician can bea firststop resource. There are also many online resources to help you better understand the issue of underage drinking andtalk to and encourage your kid to stay away from alcohol. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)has underage drinking prevention resources specifically for parents and caregivers at www.samhsa.gov/ underage-drinking. ‘This includes access to SAMHSA%free app for parents called “Talk. They Hear You” to help prepare you to talk to your kid about underage drinking through practice drills. By being proactive and following the suggestions described here, you can help strengthen your child's resistance to alcohol. Take thefirst step by making the commitmentto talk together today.
