How to Talk your Grandchildren About Underage Drinking

A frequent challenge grandparents raising teenaged grandchildren face is how to talk about risky behaviors. One of the most common risky behaviors that teenagers can engage in is underage drinking. In the United States, people between the age of 12 and 20 years old drink 11% of all consumed alcohol, despite it being illegal. In fact, in a recent survey, it was reported that 70% of all 12th graders had tried drinking alcohol. With such a high percentage of teenagers consuming alcohol under the legal age, it is important to know the consequences of underage drinking and how to talk to your grandchild about underage drinking.

Research has found that teenagers who consume alcohol are at a higher risk of school, social, legal, and physical problems. Some of these problems include:

  • Higher absence from school
  • Poorer grades
  • Lack of participation in extracurricular activities
  • Arrests associated with drinking (e.g., tickets for possession of alcohol under the legal age)
  • Changes in brain development

As a grandparent raising grandchildren, it is important to know how to communicate with your teenaged grandchildren about underage drinking and the associated risks. Talking to your grandchildren about underage drinking is one of the biggest influencing factors on whether or not a teen decides to engage in underage drinking. As with other risky behavior, make sure to talk with your grandchildren before they have to make decisions about underage drinking. When you beleive it is a good time to talk to your grandchild try to include the following in your conversation:

  • The school, social, legal, and physical risks of drinking under the legal age
  • The laws in your state about underage drinking and drinking while under the influence
  • How you feel about underage drinking, even if your grandchild does not agree with you

Keep in mind that having these difficult conversations about underage drinking and other risky behaviors could have a great impact on your grandchild. It is never too late to begin these conversations with grandchildren and remember, if they are not hearing the information from you, they will find out from someone else, which could lead to inaccurate information. For more information on how to talk with your grandchildren about drinking and other risky behaviors, please click here.

Statistics on teen drinking were found from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A frequent challenge grandparents raising teenaged grandchildren face is how to talk about risky behaviors. One of the most common risky behaviors that teenagers can engage in is underage drinking. In the United States, people between the age of 12 and 20 years old drink 11% of all consumed alcohol, despite it being illegal. In fact, in a recent survey, it was reported that 70% of all 12th graders had tried drinking alcohol. With such a high percentage of teenagers consuming alcohol under the legal age, it is important to know the consequences of underage drinking and how to talk to your grandchild about underage drinking.

Research has found that teenagers who consume alcohol are at a higher risk of school, social, legal, and physical problems. Some of these problems include:

  • Higher absence from school
  • Poorer grades
  • Lack of participation in extracurricular activities
  • Arrests associated with drinking (e.g., tickets for possession of alcohol under the legal age)
  • Changes in brain development