Why do young people drink?
There are lots of reasons young people might drink, for the buzz, to fit in, to feel grown-up, to try to cope with problems, to experiment. Some young people may also be genetically predisposed to being drawn to using alcohol or other drugs. There are a number of things that you can do to help your young person to not drink and to not drink harmfully.
These include:
- Strong family relationships
- Talking about and having information on alcohol risks
- Clear rules
- Parents setting a good example
- Monitoring by parents
- Lack of peer pressure
- Good coping skills
- Good self-esteem
- Having alternative activities and interests
Read more
For more information on young people and alcohol, and real-life accounts, you might like to read Sharing experiences and suggestions around alcohol and drug abuse. A guide for parents.pdf (size 1.2 MB) by Brian Wall