Across societies, teenagers learn to drink like the adults around them. So as an adult, you have a responsibility to help the young people in your life develop a healthy and respectful relationship with alcohol.
Young people are naturally curious, so they may already have heard stories about drinking, even if they haven’t tried it. Educate yourself about alcohol and find opportunities to open the conversation calmly. Ask what they already know, answer their questions and build on their existing knowledge.
The success of your conversations depends on the strength of your relationship. So, whether you’re discussing alcohol or not, foster an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect. But what should you do if your teenager is already drinking?