Graduating from high school is a time of celebration with family and friends. This is a great milestone for graduates and it often means graduation parties where there may be the pressure to drink alcohol.
If you think your teen has no plans to celebrate graduation with an alcoholic drink in hand, you may want to think again. According to the 2014 Arizona Youth Survey, 67 percent of Arizona high school seniors said they have consumed an alcoholic beverage at least once, 40 percent of whom had consumed it within the past month.
Since parties are the most common place Arizona teens report getting alcohol, it is important that parents are aware of their teens' celebrations and make sure there will be a responsible adult present. Teens should also have a clear understanding of their parents’ expectations relating to underage drinking and the consequences.
A great way to cover all your bases is to have a problem prevention talk. This method, which we discuss in our Active Parenting workshops, guides you and your teen through identifying risks and generating guidelines for behavior, while still listening to what they have to say and recognizing how they feel about these different pressures. Helping your teen identify positive and healthy ways to celebrate during this time of year will be a great teaching moment as they get ready to transition from high school to their next stage in life.
For more information about our workshops or to find one in your area, visit DrugFreeAZkids.org/calendar/parent-workshops.
