Drinking With Mom and Dad? -13

Underage drinking has become a serious problem. However, instead of really condemning teenagers, it seems parents are now supporting their children by allowing them to drink at home. They believe that if they allow it in moderation, their teens won't use it as much. This is a problem because teens will, instead of seeing drinking as a bad thing, they'll see it as something they did when they were younger and will be less likely to give it up. With such a past, would they ever amount to much more than drinking on the weekends.

There are now social host laws being enforced because of the underage drinking at home. I think this will eliminate the drinking problem because the consequences of this law is quite harsh. Hopefully parents will start to think and see that when they host parties they are really hindering, not helping.

"Stricter parental liability, can reverse society's tacit acceptance of underage drinking..." (U.S. News & World Report article, "A Host of Trouble" Oct. 9, 2007) This is a great statement that I do hope parents will take into consideration. Parents need to set a right example and take a stand against their teens. What parents really need to do is sit their children down and talk to them about the effects of drinking. Some parents think it is best to let their children experience something in order for them to learn a lesson from it. I agree, depending on the child, but great caution needs to be taken with this parenting.

Parents take a huge responsibility as to what choices their children make. They are the ones who train their child in the way they should go. When a teen decides to go out to a party, drink and possibly drive home, parents should be liable for what happens to them. However, there are those kids who where raised with Godly parents, but because of their heredity, these choices sometimes come naturally to them.

I think parents need to Analyze their parenting when they see their children getting interested in drinking with them at home...