‘Tis the season for celebrations! From holiday parties to feasts with friends and family, now is the time to be thankful for your loved ones, good health and to toast to another year.
But not everyone will have a reason to celebrate.. This year alone, hundreds of parents mourned the death of their kids due to alcohol consumption. In fact, car accidents are the number-one cause of death among minors, 60 percent of which involved drinking and driving.
While talking to your children about the dangers of alcohol and underage drinking is of the upmost importance, your actions speak louder than your words. Rarely does a holiday party not include adults drinking openly with their children watching nearby. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half drinking and driving fatalies happened while an adult of legal drinking age was behind the wheel.
And this isn’t exclusive to the holiday season. Graduations, birthdays, sporting events and anniversaries - drinking is synonymous with celebrations. Even if you are a responsible drinker and consume only one or two drinks over the course of a few hours, curious adolescents will notice when you grab the keys to go.
What message does that send to your children? Even if they are not considering drinking themselves, or are too young to really understand the risks involved, they will start to associate alcohol with family gatherings, parties and good times.
It’s understandable that some family gatherings can be stressful or it can be uncomfortable to mingle with extended family you only see once every few years. There are plenty of ways to enjoy events with the whole family sans liquor. Enjoy each other’s company by playing board games, watching movies or cooking together. Keeping busy will help even the most awkward family situations more bearable.
So challenge yourself this season– leave the alcohol for the “adult only” parties and avoid consuming alcoholic in front of children. Guarantee your family another year of happy holidays and good fortune.
For tips on how to talk to your children about the dangers of drinking and more information about drug and alcohol prevention, visit DrugFreeAZ.org.
