Parents and teens have been at odds for generations. From parents forbidding their kids from listening to Elvis Presley records due to his pelvic dance moves to today’s battles over cell phones, the song and dance remains the same.
There is one thing that is as true today as it’s ever been: you have more of an influence over your children than you realize. Even if they call you “old”, “lame”, or “stupid”, they pay more attention to what you say than you realize.
Tips For Talking To Your Kids About Drunk Driving
How can you use that influence to prevent your teen from drinking and driving? We recently blogged about this very issue. Our tips for talking to teens about drinking and driving include:
- Be clear and open with them about the risks of drinking and driving: don’t dance around the subject
- Don’t sugarcoat it: The consequences of drinking and driving at any age can be terrible and they need to know just how much it can affect their life now and in the future
- Establish clear rules and boundaries for your teen: Yes, they’ll be crabby about it but this step is crucial. If necessary for driving the point home, create a written document of your rules and expectations for them to sign
- Set a good example: Don’t leave alcohol out in the open or in places where your children – or their friends – will have easy access to it
Talk To Them Now To Protect Their Future
Remember, this is about more than your desire for you child not to drink, or keeping them from hurting themselves or others; it’s about making sure that your kids start adulthood out on the right foot.
Getting caught drinking as a teen can lead to serious problems such as trouble getting accepted into college, the loss of a scholarship, or losing out on financial aid.
If your teen does run afoul of the law, make sure you get them a strong defense. Call 720-407-2582 anytime for a free consultation.