UT: Underage drinking in the new school year
FOX 13
By: Parents Empowered
August 19, 2024
As kids begin a new school year, they often make new friends, so it’s important to check in with your kids and make sure their social environment remains alcohol-free.
It’s especially relevant when your kids are switching to different schools and in-between junior high and high school.
Kevin Neff, Prevention Coordinator at Tooele County Health Department explained to Jenny Hardman that a child’s healthy brain is the key to their future. It determines who they are, impacting their ability to reach their full potential.
Underage drinking can be linked to poor academic performance, violence, depression, suicide and many other mental illnesses and behavioral problems.
While you might think your kids are more influenced by their peers, Utah data shows the #1 reason kids choose not to drink is because of complete parental disapproval.
As your child makes new friends, be sure to get to know both the friends and their parents.
It’s okay to have a conversation with other parents to ensure that if there’s alcohol in their home, it’s not accessible, particularly when children are unsupervised. It can be difficult to tell the difference between alcohol and non-alcohol packaging nowadays!
Also, make sure any alcohol in YOUR home is out of reach when your children are unattended.
A child’s brain is going through rapid and dramatic changes through their mid-20’s.
Research shows, underage drinking can change how brains develop, impairing memory, learning and good judgment.
Things parents can do:
Bonding: Research also shows that parents who spend at least 10-15 minutes with their child daily, doing what their child enjoys and being a part of their world, are less likely to drink underage.
Boundaries: When parents take the time to have frequent and meaningful conversations with their kids, it builds trust and strengthens relationships. Kids who feel close to their parents are much more likely to listen when their parents set clear rules against underage drinking to protect their health and safety.
Monitoring: After communicating your complete disapproval of underage drinking, then parents need to stay involved in their kids’ daily lives, because all kids need help to stay alcohol-free. Parents Empowered recommends using the 5 Ws. Anytime your child is about to leave the house, check in with these questions:
- Where are you going?
- Who will you be with?
- What will you be doing?
- When will you be home?
- Will there be alcohol?
For more information go to Parents Empowered.