Like many Baby Boomers, I was raised in a home where alcohol flowed as freely as water. I was expected to be the bartender and cocktail waitress for my father and for his guests during parties. We were raised with the notion that alcohol is safe way to have fun. Hey, at least it’s not drugs! Of course, I never really looked at alcohol as being something that can be so destructive. This appears to be the norm for many adults raising children over the years. There seems to be an attitude to teach children how to drink (don’t drink and drive or if your going to drink then do it at home) but, not how to say NO to alcohol altogether.
I teach delay and refusal skills to youth in the local school district, am a member of a coalition whose goal is to reduce underage drinking and a mother of 3 children in their teens and preteens. Through the work that I do, I have become more educated than I used to be regarding the negative consequences of alcohol and youth. We need to change attitudes and behaviors in the adults so they can pass these values onto their children. Send the message out to youth so they can make healthier more informed choices for their future.
--Trish, Golden Valley