Most parents would say they try and protect their children from drinking or gaining access to alcohol. It would seem almost common sense to not supply alcohol to minors, especially your own, right? Wrong! Shockingly, in a recent survey, minors who were polled admitted that about 20% of the alcohol they used came directly from their house, parents or older siblings. What this means is that the very problem of teenage drinking can originate directly from your own home!
Alcohol awareness for adolescents in their teenage years is a huge concern. Most teens and their parents simply don't really understand fully the dangers of underage drinking and drug use. Most parents would agree that teens shouldn't drink. In fact, even most teenagers would admit that drinking can be dangerous. The problem is really three fold.
1. Underage drinking is illegal, so the minor in possession of alcohol is actually breaking the law
2. Parents who buy alcohol for teens are breaking the law by supplying alcohol to a minor
3. Underage drinking can have long term and lasting effects on brain and body development
Knowing this, why do some parents still turn a blind eye to one of America's biggest problems? Is it ignorance, stupidity? Perhaps the belief that they drank as teens, so what's the big deal? Perhaps just looking at the statistics of teenage deaths in the U.S. related to alcohol might help? It is estimated that about 4,500 teenagers die each year as the result of an underage drinking accident. Still want to give your teen alcohol?
Despite all this good evidence and research, some parents still don’t fully comprehend the bigger issue. Even if you don’t, you still owe it to your underage teenager to become better aware of the pitfalls of alcohol abuse and use. Becoming educated has become simplified.
What parents can do to help is better educate their teen about the pitfalls of underage drinking and drug use. Once such way of doing this is having them take either an 8 hour mip class, 12 Hour Minor in Possession course or a 16 hour level 2 minor in possession course. These classes are an ideal resource to get quick, fast and effective results because the classes can be taken any time, instantly from any location in the country. Isn't your teen worth it? Get them the education they need before it's too late.