DoubleDragons

My husband and I were both raised in alcoholic households, so neither of us have an idea of what a healthy, normal attitude towards drinking when raising children, looks like. We have four children, three of them being teenagers. Luckily, I have seen no signs of my children or their friends using alcohol, which fills me with so much relief, but also bafflement, if I am honest. (my husband and I both started drinking in our early teens) I have addressed the fact that alcoholism is prevalent on both sides of our family with my children and my husband and I have always drank, although lately we have drastically reduced our intake. My eldest leaves for college next year and I am terrified of his inevitable "first drinking experience." Any thoughts and/or insights?? My father came from a strict, shaming teetotaler family and completely rebelled against that. My mother's family were total partiers and my parents continued where that left off and added some . . . . My husband's father died of alcoholism in his fifties and my mother-in-law quit, because her liver was so bad, she would have otherwise died.

SkyeSea

Not really sure what to suggest, but I think as you've seen from your father - the bigger a deal you make of something, the more teenagers will rebel and want to try it.
Sorry couldn't be more help x

foolsgold66

I don't mean to be negative, I don't know much about you, or where you live, but with three teenagers I would guess most if not all have already had their first drinking experience. How close are you to them? It's not clear to me whether you have asked them about it. Are they normally truthful when you ask them questions about difficult subjects?

I have a good deal more knowledge about the drinking experiences of my eldest and her peers who are about the same age as yours. In my experience, attitudes toward drinking in youth have changed some since I was that age 30 years ago, but not completely.

ScottFromWI

I think the best you can do is just be honest with them about what can happen and how alcohol works/doesn't work. They will make their own choices, but the more info they have the better choices they can make.

DagnyTaggart

Young people are using alcohol and tobacco less, but opiates much more. Warning your children against the dangers of alcohol is great but don't forget about prescription pills which can lead to heroin. I probably sound paranoid but the majority of the young people I see in recovery are opiate addicts. Alcohol seems to be very 1980s...