According to a new study that was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, the way we parent our teens can make the difference between smart, social drinking or passed-out throwing up drinking in their future.
NPR recently did a story about the study. According to the article, “By the 12th grade, more than 65 percent of teens have at least experimented with alcohol, but what parents do during the high school years can also influence whether teens go on to binge drink or abuse alcohol.”
It seems the middle ground is the way to help your teen make smart decisions when it comes to drinking. Being too strict and not allowing your teen to have a say in any decisions is harmful. The study explains, “Kids in that environment tend not to internalize the values and understand why they shouldn’t drink. They were more than twice as likely to binge drink.”
But parents who over-indulge their teens and try to be the “cool” parents often result in teens who are among the biggest binge drinkers.
I think the findings in this study are interesting and may help some parents reevaluate their parenting style. Personally, I think, like many things, moderation is good in parenting. Finding the right balance of discipline is key.