April marks Alcohol Awareness Month. It's a great opportunity to discuss the topic of alcohol abuse and its consequences with your children. Unfortunately, a child's first exposure to alcohol - and alcohol abuse - can be at home. As a parent, it's your responsibility to lead by example. In other words, getting drunk around your children isn't the best precedent to set when you're trying to dissuade impressionable youth from drinking. This shows that you not only condone alcohol abuse, but you also participate in it. And unfortunately, the old "do as I say, not as I do" probably won't serve as much of a deterrent for curious adolescents who are being pressured by peers to partake in underage drinking. If you are going to drink alcohol around your children, do so in moderation. Keep in mind that one drink consists of a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. Be a role model.
Talking to your children about alcohol is crucial. They should be aware of the dangers of alcohol consumption. Alcohol affects memory, judgment, impulse control and motor coordination. Teens under the influence can put themselves in risky situations that can lead to teen pregnancy, STDs, car accidents, date rape and other consequences. One statistic shows that more young people die from underage alcohol consumption than from all illegal drugs combined. Talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol abuse. Let your child know he can always come to you with questions or concerns. Also, as a parent, it's your responsibility to keep alcohol out of reach of your children. Make it so that it's not easily accessible. Remember, preventing alcohol abuse begins at home.