Wine.
Beer.
Cocktails. (does anyone else think that’s a weird name?)
Booze.
It has different names, but it’s all alcohol. To some of us it sounds tasty, to others we could care less.
As a parent though, the words alcohol and kids in the same sentence worry me. The statistics are scary-car accidents, death, poor judgement…the list goes on and on. All are tied to one thing: alcohol. While I’d love to stick my head in the sand and believe my kids won’t drink while they are underage I know that’s not any effective means of parenting.
Instead we talk. In our house the conversation surrounding alcohol has not centered on ‘grown-up’ drinks or moderation, but on the very real dangers of addiction and impairment that can happen with alcohol use. Keeping in mind their ages, and keeping the conversation on their level we have discussed it with each of children. We expect that as they get older and more socially active, driving on their own (I don’t even want to think about it!) that the conversations will become more frequent.
One of the fine lines with parenting has always been how much independence we give our children. Each of our kids is unique in their own way so they each have various levels of independence. As they get older they become more and more independent, but that doesn’t mean we are more hands off.
I talk about this often to other parents, but having been in the baby/toddler trenches so long I have been astounded to realize how much more demanding having an older child can be. While they are little it’s all about being physical (changing diapers, feedings, naptimes), but as they get older it’s all about talking, communicating, and teaching them the life skills they need. It also means talking about subjects that seem taboo or awkward to address including sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Ok not the last one, I like their music, that just sounded good.
I’ve talked before about monitoring the kids computer usage, and one of the things I feel strongly about as a parent is that my children need to be monitored and checked in with frequently. For many parents this may seem like an invasion of privacy, but I believe the kids have to earn the right to have more privacy by showing us through their actions that they are responsible and accountable.
Enter Soberlink, the first home test kit that allows you to check in with your child no matter where they are. Soberlink sends the blood alcohol limit and a photo of the person taking the test.
While not everyone will agree with this approach we think taking an approach that’s more proactive, and making alcohol not a part of our day to day lives will help our kids make the right choices in life. While I do drink on occasion (even sometimes at home) my husband does not drink.
We also have a “Do tell, don’t ask,” policy with the kids. We will tell the kids (as my parents did) that they can call us anytime, anywhere and we will pick them up. We may not ask questions that night, but you can be sure I’ll be blaring trumpet music in their ear at 6am the next morning so they can get up and scrub the toilet with a toothbrush.
How do you talk to your kids about alcohol?
Kelly
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Soberlink. all opinions are my own.
© 2011, Whalen Media LLC. All rights reserved. To repost or publish, please email Kelly.
