Be a PARENT, not a pal!

Research shows that active, supportive involvement by parents and guardians helps teens avoid underage drinking. Once you have established that you disapprove of underage drinking, and your rules are clear, tell your child that the same rules apply to his or her friends and guests while in your home. Research shows that if your child’s friends use alcohol, your child is more likely to drink. Additionally, research has shown that many teenagers get into trouble right after school between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

In a survey conducted in 2006 with Birmingham Bloomfield high school students, of those that drank, most drank with a few close friends rather than at a large party.

Parental monitoring has consistently been shown to be a protective factor in the acquisition and initiation of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use (ATOD). Furthermore, research over the past decade has shown that children are more likely to remain drug free when parents use pro-active strategies such as:

• verbally expressing their disapproval regarding youth ATOD use
• establishing clear rules and expectations for their children regarding ATOD abstinence
• monitoring their children’s activities and peer associations

In a recent survey conducted by the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition, 96.1% of parents that responded have established a curfew for their teens.

‘Trust but verify’ is a cliché that is true when parenting teens. Research has shown that an effective way to monitor teens is to call other parents and verify information given to you by your teen. The Birmingham Bloomfield community supports this protective behavior:

• 68% of parents surveyed at Andover, Groves, Lahser, and Seaholm parent conferences in 2006 have called other parents to verify that a party was going to be chaperoned.
• 95% of parents and key community leaders, recently surveyed by the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition, would call another parent who is hosting a party to inquire about supervision and availability of alcohol.
• Additionally, 94% of those same parents approve or strongly approve of parents calling parents of the friend who invite a high school student to sleep over, party or other activity.

One of the reasons often cited for not calling and verifying gatherings that their child has been invited to is that parents are unsure about the reaction from the other parent.

While you can not guarantee every phone call will be answered by a receptive parent, a recent survey by Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition provides some reassurance.  98.8 % of parents surveyed would welcome a call from another parent inquiring about their party and the amount of supervision and whether or not alcohol will be served.

According to a survey conducted in the Spring of 2005 by the American Medical Association, two out of three teens, aged 13-18, said it is easy to get alcohol from their homes without parents knowing about it.

Furthermore, in a survey of Birmingham Bloomfield high school students conducted in the fall of 2006, of the students who drank within the past 30 days, 26.3% of them stole alcohol from their mother or father, 14.5% stole it from a friend or acquaintance’s mother or father and 6.3% stole it from a brother, sister, or other relative who is 21 years of age or older.

However, 67.7% of area parents have not locked up their alcohol in a place away from youth (Key Leader and Parent Survey, 2007).

Research studies indicate that children are less likely to drink when their parents are involved in their lives and when they and their parents report feeling close to each other. The best way to do this is to talk to your teen daily.

Research has shown that teens are at greater risk for alcohol and drug use when they are transitioning from elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school and from high school to college or work. Adolescence, in and of itself, is a time of transition when the body is undergoing many changes. It is also a time when young people start to associate more with friends beyond their childhood contacts. Teens also feel more pressure to "fit in."

The Search Institute has created a list of 40 Developmental Assets® that are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. Studies reveal strong and consistent relationships between the number of assets present in young people’s lives and the degree to which they develop in positive and healthful ways. Results show that the greater the numbers of Developmental Assets are experienced by young people, the more positive and successful their development. The fewer the number of assets present, the greater the possibility youth will engage in risky behaviors such as drug use, unsafe sex, and violence. One of the external assets cited is that "Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's behavior."

Research has shown that students who have the ability to say "no" to their peers are much less likely to use alcohol and other drugs. These skills can be taught. Role playing likely situations and how to leave risky situations has been shown to be an effective prevention technique.