Teach Your Children to Say No to Alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption and accepted drinking habits in our society can lead to important problems that affect personal, family and work life. In this article, we’ll talk about how we should teach our children to say no to alcohol.

Nowadays, alcohol consumption starts at an early age and can have different reasons. In this regard, it should be clear that the consequences of frequent alcohol consumption can be very dangerous, both for young people and adults. Therefore, teach your children to say no to alcohol. Educate them to think critically and know how to make conscious and responsible decisions about their life.

Alcohol consumption in our society

A large part of society consumes alcohol, and not only on specific days, weekends, parties or holidays, but on a daily basis. As a result, in many homes, children grow up seeing alcohol consumption as normal and frequent. And, in other homes, this consumption is associated with a lack of communication and a conflict-ridden family climate.

The onset of alcohol consumption is due to a variety of reasons, whether family, social, occupational or economic. And, in many cases, it’s reinforced by the influence of peers. In other words, during adolescence, many young people feel pressured by their friends, and drink alcohol in order to be accepted by their group.

Consequences of alcohol consumption

The consequences of excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can be very negative. In children under 18, frequent alcohol consumption can lead to problems related to brain development, as it affects learning ability and memory. And it can cause other problems and alterations in bone development, as well as gastric, cardiovascular and endocrine system disorders.

In addition, excessive alcohol consumption has important consequences on mood and emotional control. Thus, in adolescents, it can have a considerable impact on the shaping of their personality, and cause problems related to anxiety and depression.

Irresponsible drinking hinders appropriate behaviors in all areas of a person’s life. It can increase the probability of having violent or risk-prone attitudes, as well as behaviors that can lead to traffic accidents or sex injuries. This conduct can also generate an increased exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Teach your children to say no to alcohol

The goal is to teach your child to say no to alcohol, and this is no simple task. First, it means leading by example, which means reducing alcohol consumption at home. And secondly, it involves talking and communicating with your child about the subject of alcohol.

It may be inevitable that our children, at some point in their lives, will try or consume alcohol. However, we must educate them to do so responsibly and in moderation. Therefore, there are certain aspects that parents can consider when educating their children, so that they can be able to say no to alcohol.

Ask, inquire…

As parents, we should know who our children’s friends are and ask questions about them. This is important because it’s a way of looking after them and allowing them to share their lives with us. Thus, adults can be vigilant and alert, and act early or in anticipation of strange friends and relationships, or identify any unhealthy behavior.

Alcohol should never be an escape route

Communicating with our children involves talking about any topic, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us. Children and teenagers are discovering the world and shaping their personality and character. Therefore, they have infinite fears, millions of questions and many concerns.

So, we must ensure that the family environment and the parent-child relationship is a safe place for them to express themselves and feel listened to. Consequently, we can prevent alcohol consumption from becoming an escape route or a way of compensating frustrations, fears or limitations.

Teach your children to say no to alcohol by emphasizing its negative consequences

It’s important to emphasize and highlight the negative consequences of excessive drinking. Don’t praise, laugh at or celebrate behaviors in which people behave under the influence of alcohol, no matter how funny they seem. And, of course, emphasize the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol and the consequences it entails, both for oneself and for others.

Teach your children to say no to alcohol by reinforcing their self-esteem

Educating your children to develop a critical view of reality is fundamental. Therefore, parents must reinforce their self-esteem and help them develop a self-confident personality.

In this way, they’ll be able to understand that they don’t need to consume alcohol or any other substance in order to be themselves or achieve their life goals.

Encourage them to find other alternatives for leisure and fun

Finally, it’s important for parents to motivate and support their children to have hobbies, i.e. to practice sports or engage in other extracurricular activities. Having teenagers occupy their free time with healthy activities is a way to prevent them from getting bored. Thus we can prevent them from turning to alcohol consumption as a distraction or a way to fight boredom.