The conversation about alcohol may have started in your home already, but it’s not a one-time conversation. You have to be willing to talk alcohol with your kids regularly. Once you started the conversation you need to know how to keep the conversation about alcohol going in your house. I’m sharing resources, tips, and ideas below to help you continue the conversation.
Why continue the conversation?
Your kids won’t learn this one time and forget it, it requires reinforcement and conversations that change as they grow up. When children are young it’s appropriate to talk about the physical effects alcohol can have. As they grow up the conversation may shift to how it could change their developing body and brain. Even as they venture out into the world on their own it’s especially important to continue the conversation. College is where many kids drink for the first time, and many involve themselves in risky behavior or binge drinking.
9 Ways To Talk Alcohol With Kids
1. How to talk to your kids about alcohol
Getting the conversation started may be challenging, so I share what works for our family.
Read more.
2. Change the narrative around alcohol
When it comes to talking about alcohol around and with kids we have to use care about the message we’re sending. Making jokes, using language that makes light of drinking, and making assumptions. Learn how I recommend you do just that at Ask Listen Learn.
3. Help your kids make healthy choices
Helping your kids and family make healthy choices can be tough, so we compiled ideas to help you have a healthier family from diet and exercise to alcohol.
Read more.
4. Instill healthy habits
Help them learn healthy habits. With back to school in full swing it’s time to talk routines. Help your kids get in the habit of healthy with these tips on the Ask Listen Learn site.
5. Look to the media
Look to media for teachable moments, too. While we often see bad examples and behavior we can discuss, there is also the other side where we see positive messages, too.
6. How do you approach different ages?
How do you talk to kids that are in elementary school? How do you talk to kids who are in college? Find great advice on how to talk to kids of all ages whether you’re getting the conversation started or talking to teens.
7. Strategies & Tips to talk alcohol
“What does alcohol taste like?”
“How does alcohol make you feel?
“Have you ever been drunk?”
I share advice on how to answer the tough questions at Ask. Listen. Learn.
8. Should saying ‘no’ to alcohol be the answer?
Can we really expect kids to abstain from alcohol? Respected parenting expert Dr. G. shares, “We owe it to our teenagers to ask for their best. They deserve our respect; our highest standards so each can reach the brightest possible future. They need opportunities to demonstrate their responsibility. They require chances to show resilience after a mistake.”
9. What do other moms do?
Get advice from moms who have been there with this playlist from the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility featuring video interviews with parents.
Watch below (if you can’t see it, click over to the website).
Kelly
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility. All opinions are my own.
