Alcohol and parents

< back to contents | next page>

Tips for Parents

The National Health and Medical Research Council have written guidelines specifically for young people under the age of 18, which should be considered when the issue of alcohol arises. The guidelines state:

• For children and young people under 18 years of age, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.
• Parents and carers should be advised that children under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and that for this age group, not drinking alcohol is especially important.
• For young people aged 15-17 years, the safest option is to delay the initiation of drinking for as long as possible.

For more information on the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, visit:
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/your_health/healthy/alcohol/index.htm

There are also a number of things that parents can do and say to their children to help them make informed decisions about drinking and to help them minimise the risks of consuming alcohol.

It is important that young people learn and receive information about alcohol in an environment that is open and supportive.

Listed below are some of the many things that you can do to assist your children make informed decisions about drinking alcohol:

• educate yourself about alcohol and other drugs;
• communicate openly with your children, and foster discussion with them about issues relating to drug and alcohol use;
• listen to what your children are saying. Don’t be quick to express anger or judgement if you don’t agree with what they are saying;
• realise that experimentation is part of being a teenager;
• set ground rules regarding alcohol that are fair and reasonable; and
• recognise that your drinking behaviours or attitudes towards alcohol may influence the drinking behaviours adopted by your children and how your children perceive alcohol.

For more information about how you can help your children make informed decisions about drinking alcohol, then visit:

Celebrating Safely
http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/wellbeing/publication/research.htm#celebrate

^Top