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| Reasons of Alcohol Use |  Why Teens Consume Alcohol
Nowadays the most common problem among teenagers is alcohol addiction. There are lots of reasons for this. Look through the list of the main once:
- Peer Pressure to go in for continual binge drinking
- Parents or siblings who drink heavily may be as harmful examples
- With the help of alcohol teens try to escape from the hopelessness of a life
- With the help of alcohol they try to cope with emotional pain
- Lots of teens drink alcohol simply to have fun
What Parents Should Do
1. You have to set strict rules about alcohol use. Clearly enforce the consequences for breaking the rules.
2. Try to express frequently how you feel about under-age drinking. Nevertheless, do not lecture or threaten your teen about alcohol use.
3. Frequently talk about individual, family, social, and religious values. This will give your teen reasons not to drink.
4. Discuss different cultural or religious traditions in your family that include the acceptable use of alcohol.
5. Explain that drinking and driving or riding with drunken person will not be tolerated. Your teen has to understand that it is better in such case to take a cab or call for permission to stay overnight. This doesn’t mean the permission for drinking; it means that your teen’s safety is most important.
6. You should talk with your son or daughter about methods to handle pressure from peers to drink. You have to teach your teen how to say “no” and to suggest doing something different (safe). If you want your teen to feel comfortable talking openly with you, he or she needs to know that you will not punish them for being honest.
7. Help your son or daughter to develop outside interests. Embolden him or her to become a member of a team or club, a volunteer, to find a part-time job, or take music or any other lessons.
8. When your children want to talk about alcohol, listen to their opinions, help them to make good decisions, and treat them with respect.
9. Become acquainted with your teen friends. You have to know where they hang out and what they are doing. Try to talk with the friends’ parents about alcohol.
10. Don’t serve alcohol to your teen and his or her friends. Lock your liquor cabinet.
11. Don’t ask your child to open a bottle of wine, or bring you a beer.
12. Be an example. If you drink, do so responsibly. Never drink and drive. Don’t use alcohol as a method to cope with stress, depression, or anger.
13. In case you have a drinking problem, or think you may have one, help is available - see a health care professional.
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