Teaching Your Children about Alcohol

Teach your child very early to not drink alcohol. Children's bodies metabolize alcohol differently than adults' bodies, and, because they're so small, alcohol poisoning is a very real danger. Be sure your child knows not to drink any alcohol, even if it's just the leftovers in peoples' cups at parties. Children imitate their elders, so be sure to set a good example if you are going the temperance route and don't blur the lines between grape juice and wine, for example.

Eventually, you'll want to teach your child about how alcohol changes the way people feel. You may not want to teach them this concept too early or they'll want to try it themselves. You can instead talk about how it can change the way people act. Tell them that people can lose control of themselves when they're using alcohol, and that they can do things they wouldn't normally do and not even remember what they did afterward.

Your children will need to know that alcohol is addictive, and that some people waste all their money and their whole lives on alcohol addiction. Let your children know that alcohol can make them slaves to appetites that they can easily satiate in much healthier and safer ways.

Know that other children or their parents or siblings may try to get your children to drink, and warn your children of this danger. Teach your children that they can have fun without alcohol and that it's not cool to drink alcohol. Tell your children that their so-called "friends" may pretend they have their best interests at heart, but that they're probably trying to spread the guilt around so they, themselves, don't feel uncomfortable. Your children will need to know that you're there for them to talk to if the peer pressure gets to be too much, and that they can call you any time to pick them up and take them home so they don't have to deal with it anymore. And tell your child that, if all else fails, they can always blame you for something so they can get out of the situation ("I have to go home, my Mom and Dad wanted me to be back an hour ago").