Parents of older children
Talking to your children about alcohol can be a minefield. Do you tell them they’re not allowed to drink at all, running the risk that they’ll rebel? Or do you let them have a drink at the dinner table with you every once in a while? What do you do when they head out to parties where you know there’ll be alcohol?
Whatever you decide, you’re in a great position to set an example to your children by drinking within the recommended guidelines for adults (no more than 3-4 units a day for men and 2-3 for women). Teenagers need to know the facts about alcohol - how much is too much, what can happen when you drink heavily and how to say no. Parents are in the best position to give them this information. In fact, a Drinkaware survey of over 500 16 and 17 year olds found more than a third of them would prefer to get advice on drinking alcohol from their parents than anyone else.
Key issues
In 2009 the Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales issued guidelines on alcohol for under 18s and their parents (1). They say:
- Children and their parents and carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
- If young people aged 15 to 17 years consume alcohol, it should always be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment.
- Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people. If 15 to 17 year olds do consume alcohol, they should do so infrequently and certainly on no more than one day a week. Young people aged 15 to 17 years should never exceed recommended adult daily limits and, on days when they drink, consumption should usually be below such levels.
- The importance of parental influences on children’s alcohol use should be communicated to parents, carers and professionals. Parents and carers require advice on how to respond to alcohol use and misuse by children.
- Support services must be available for children and young people who have alcohol-related problems and their parents.
In reality, statistics show that teenagers drink more than these guidelines. While the number of teenagers drinking has declined somewhat in recent years, those who do drink are consuming more alcohol, more often.
At 15, eight out of 10 teenagers have tried alcohol. Half of 16 and 17 year olds drink at least once a week. A study of 10,000 15 and 16-year-olds in the North West of England found that their average alcohol consumption was 44 bottles of wine or 177 pints of beer a year.
Parents are often unsure about what age to bring up the subject of alcohol with their children and another common concern once they have identified the right time,is how exactly to go about it?
What’s certain is that parents’ influence is important, and it’s better to discuss alcohol sooner rather than later.
According to the report ‘Use of Alcohol among Children and Young People’ by the Department of Children, Schools and Families, children who first use alcohol at home, and learn about its effects from parents, are less likely to misuse alcohol than those who begin drinking outside the home and experiment with their peers.
Risks
If you as a parent drink within the recommended guidelines, you can set a good example for your children. However, if your drink heavily, they might be tempted to think that’s acceptable.
Drinking has extra risks for under-18s. Young people who aren’t used to the effects of drinking can easily knock back far too much. Their bodies are generally smaller and they won’t have built up a tolerance to alcohol, so they’ll get drunk more quickly.
Aside from the short term risks of harm, antisocial behaviour and the enhanced chance of unprotected sex, there are also long-term health concerns. Young bodies are still growing, and alcohol can harm their development. Regular drinking can cause brain damage, cancer of the mouth, throat and gullet, cirrhosis of the liver, heart disorders and impotence in later life [link to factsheets on each of these problems]. Parents who drink more than the recommended guidelines could also face these health problems.
Tips
• Be a positive role model – drink within the recommended guidelines (3-4 units a day for men, 2-3 for women)
• Be open with your children about alcohol, and discuss it with them early. Remember that by the age of 15, nine out of 10 teenagers have had an alcoholic drink.
• The effects of alcohol often crop up in soap operas, films and news stories, as well as in magazines and newspapers. This can be a good opportunity to introduce the topic.
• Teach your children about how many units there are in different drinks. There are 1.5 units in a small (125ml) glass of 12% wine and between two and three units in a pint of standard beer. That way they’ll know the strength of what they’re drinking. You can see the units in different types and brands of alcohol by using our unit calculator.
• Try to ensure teenagers know that if they’re going to drink, they should eat beforehand and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. You could encourage them to have a soft drink between each alcoholic drink when they’re out.
• Encourage teenagers to keep track of what they’ve had and to know their own limits. There’s a diary your child can use to record what they’re drinking on our website.
• Give your children advice on staying safe while drinking. They should always stick together with friends and know how they’re getting home.
• If your child does get drunk, try not to overreact. Talk to them about it the next morning: listen to what they have to say and try to understand their situation.
Footnotes
1. Guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people. A report by the Chief Medical Office
2.Fuller E, Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2007: National Centre for Social Research, National Foundation for Educational Research; 2008
3.Ibid
4.Ibid
5.Liverpool John Moores University 2008 http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/NewsUpdate/index_93986.htm
6.DCSF, ‘Use of Alcohol among Children and Young People’ http://publications.dcsf.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DCSF-RW043&
- Page last updated by
- Matthew Bateman, 17 Dec 2009.
- Page checked on
- 26 Aug 2009.
