“Help for Today. Hope for Tomorrow” is the theme of this month’s National Alcohol Awareness Month, which encourages individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems and to take steps to prevent alcohol use among youth.
Data from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency shows that the sooner a child starts drinking, the more likely he or she is to develop a dependency and to graduate to other drugs. Children who begin drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who start at the age of 21.
The El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency, Mental Health Division, offers parents these six tips to help prevent teen drinking:
- Know where your children are and who they are with. Teens are less likely to get into trouble if parents are aware of what they are doing.
- Don’t allow teens to drink in your home. Coordinate with parents to make sure parties and other social events your teen attends are alcohol- and drug-free.
- Lock up liquor cabinets at home. Some kids may drink after school when adults are at work.
- Try to get your child involved in school or recreational activities, and work with other parents and community leaders to provide safe alternatives for fun in the community.
- Provide consistent rules and boundaries, and enforce them.
- Talk with your child early about the importance of making good choices, not just for you but for themselves. Help them understand that the choices they make today can affect them for the rest of their lives.
For more information, visit www.ncadd.org.
And for information on local alcohol and drug prevention and treatment programs, visit www.edcgov.us/publichealth or call 530-621-6146.
