Alcohol is so normalised in our society that we sometimes forget that supplying alcohol to someone under 18 without their parents’ permission is against the law.
Christmas or not, giving drink to children is not just against the law – it’s damaging to their developing bodies and brains. Human brains keep developing into the early to mid-twenties.
The really uncomfortable truth is something that we all know on some level – that in order to keep our children safe, we need to start thinking about our own drinking because the example we set is one of the most powerful influences on our children’s future behaviour.
Start with this simple Drinks Calculator and get a quick assessment of your own drinking. It only takes a minute.
Drinking alcohol effects our behaviour, so we need to consider this if we are to use alcohol in front of our children, because what we do and say affects their decision making in relation to their own substance use.
It won’t be news to parents of teenagers that they will always try and push the boundaries and rules that keep them safe – it’s their job as they test the world around them. And it’s the parent’s role to set the boundaries and teach the reasons why the boundaries exist so that we can guide them safely to adulthood.
Source: Laoise Neylon, The Journal.ie, 23/12/18
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