Holiday drinking and children not a good mix

The warmth of the holiday season can skew parental judgment. Often parents allow things to occur that they normally wouldn’t. Parents allow kids to stay up later, eat more sweets and, for some parents, even try a sip or two of alcohol.

Experts caution parents surrounding the dangers of exposing children to alcohol underage and have provided the below Do’s and Don’ts when handling alcohol around your children during the holidays:

1. Do acknowledge to your kids that alcohol will be served during the holiday season only to those over the age of 21.

2. Don’t compromise your clear messaging by allowing the occasional sip of alcohol at gatherings.

3. Do demonstrate responsible adult use of alcohol for those able to partake.

4. Don’t hesitate to say no if your child asks to partake.

5. Do take advantage of those teachable moments when someone does get out of hand at a gathering or a celebrity is on the news for inappropriate behavior for alcohol use.

6. Don’t let your child enter into social situations unprepared whether in your home or outside of your care.

7. Do make sure your child knows to never get in a car with someone who has been drinking.

These tips are provided by Caron Treatment Centers, a nonprofit provider of drug and alcohol treatment. For more information on the stress and impact underage drinking and holiday festivities can have on kids, contact Breanne at bthomlison@affect.com or call (212) 398-9680.