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Alcohol Underage drinking

Many parents avoid discussions about underage drinking. Some deny that their child may be drinking. Others resist examining their own alcohol use.

When kids "party" - no matter where - they're vulnerable. They binge and get sick. They fall and get injured. They make decisions about sex they would never make sober.

It's smart to encourage children to delay the use of alcohol. It keeps them safer - physically and emotionally. Kids who drink before age 15 are much more likely to abuse alcohol later in life than those who wait until they're 21.

"In our culture, children are surrounded by messages that encourage them to drink," Dr. Brian Johnson says. "So our conversations with them need to be ongoing."

Effective communication is key to raising healthy kids.

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