Ask, Listen, Learn - Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix
WHAT YOU DON’T “NO” CAN HURT YOU
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A Public Service in Association With Nickelodeon and The Century Council
It’s Game Time!
Facts About The Dangers of Underage Drinking
An "Action Against Alcohol" Pledge
POP QUIZ
At your age, how much alcohol is too much?
The answer is simple: If you are under the legal drinking age, any amount of alcohol is too much.
Don’t believe it? Ask your parents. Listen to their advice. They can help you learn why you should not drink alcohol.
There’s a reason underage drinking is against the law - it’s dangerous. And there are many reasons why it’s dangerous for young people, which you’ll discover in these pages. In fact, too much alcohol can be downright life-threatening. The danger is not just to you but also to people around you.
If you know how to ask, listen, and learn, then you know how to stay safe. Alcohol can be one of the biggest risks to people your age. It is also one of the easiest risks to avoid.
These pages will tell you the hard truth about alcohol, and they’ll get you to think about it. Ask. Listen. Learn. That’s A.L.L. you have to do.
The Reflection of a Positive Choice
What if you could look in the mirror and see your future?
That’s what this girl is doing. She’s actually seeing the consequences of two possible choices: one with alcohol, the other alcohol-free. Which is which?
Certain choices are clear. Some chances are just not worth taking. Bad choices increase your chances of suffering bad consequences. Before you look in your own mirror, remember the three Cs: choices, chances, consequences.
A Win-Win-Win-Win Situation
Awards are usually given for something you have done. However, these awards are given for something you have not done (and will not do) - drink alcohol underage.
By going through this booklet, you’ll learn about the dangers of underage drinking, and you’ll realize that you don’t need awards to avoid alcohol. Still, you deserve an award anyway! Each time you complete an activity, fill in your name and check off the appropriate blank box below, then present the page to your parents to trade in for a great award.
10 Ways Out
People your age sometimes feel it’s hard to say no to alcohol——even to a best
friend. If anyone offers you a drink, be prepared with an answer to refuse it. That
way you won’t feel pressured to think one up on the spot. Below are ten possible
ways to say no. Some are straightforward, while others are more creative than
“That’s not allowed.” Try to remember them all——and make up three of your
own, too. By the way, all of these responses were made up by kids like you!
1. “I’m not a drinker, I’m a thinker!”
2. “I’m way too cool for that stuff!”
3. “No thanks, I’m allergic to alcohol.”
4. “I would like to live the rest of my
90 years, thank you.”
5. “Sorry, I need all my brain cells.”
6. “Thanks, but I'm on an alcohol-free diet.”
7. “I don’t drink on days that end in ‘Y.’”
8. “Ah…to drink or not to drink, that is
the question…I’ll take NOT.”
9. “I’m not a follower. I’m a leader, and
I’m saying no!”
10. “I’m smarter than I look.”
Your lines:
1. _____________________________
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
Now that you’ve come up with your clever lines, send them in for a chance to see them on nick.com!
To submit your lines, visit http://www.nick.com/ads/asklistenlearn/kids/. Click on “How to Ask Listen Learn.” Then click on “10 Ways Out.”
Get Your Game On
You know you’re smart - now it’s time to let it show. It’s recommended to play this game with three or more people. One person - the answer master - will need to check the answers. To win, you simply need to know the truth about alcohol. Each player needs a coin and a different token: a button, a paper clip, a pen cap.
HOW TO PLAY:
1. All players place their tokens on START.
2. Players take turns flipping the coin. Move forward one space for heads,
two spaces for tails.
3. If you land on a T/F square, answer the statement TRUE or FALSE. If you land on a multiple
choice square, choose one answer. If correct, flip again. If incorrect, next player flips.
4. If a player lands on a
square that someone else has already answered correctly, that player should advance to the next “new” square.
(Otherwise it’s too easy to remember the answer!)
5. If you land on an action square, such as LOSE A TURN, do
what it says.
6. Here’s a twist: The first player to reach the FINISH hasn’t won yet! That player must answer
one more T/F statement or multiple choice question that the other players choose. If possible, it should be
one that nobody else has landed on. If that player answers
correctly, he/she wins. If not, it’s the next player’s turn,
and the player at FINISH must wait for his/her next
turn in order to answer correctly and win.
You Are What You Drink
You’ve probably heard the expression “You are what you eat.” People may not talk about it as much, but you are what you drink, too. Drink healthy liquids and you’ll feel good. Drink the wrong stuff like alcohol and you’ll feel bad——in many ways. When you drink alcohol, it affects almost every part of your body. This is especially important when we’re talking about kids’ bodies.
Look at this illustration and you will see what we’re talking about. Not all these things happen to everyone, but you can’t be sure which ones will happen to you.
| Lungs Large amounts of alcohol can make it hard for you to breathe. You can pass out. If you throw up, you may not be able to breathe easily and you might choke.
Blood Alcohol can affect your blood's ability to clot. That means if you are cut, it will be harder to stop bleeding and form a scab. Your white blood cells——the ones that fight germs——may not work as well, so you may get sick. Liver Alcohol can cause fat to build up in your liver. That becomes scar tissue, which can lead to a liver disease that can eventually kill you. Small Intestines/Pancreas Alcohol can damage the lining of your intestines. Your pancreas can become irritated. Stomach Alcohol can irritate your stomach and make it produce too much acid. More acid in your stomach can cause you to throw up or feel sick later. Kidneys Alcohol can make you go to the bathroom over and over and over. You become dehydrated, meaning you don't have enough water in your body. Without enough water, your kidneys could stop working. |
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Brain Drinking alcohol might depress you and affect the brain cells that help you think and move normally. This could make you do all sorts of things that you wouldn't normally do. You might not be able to remember your address. You might start crying just because someone looks at you, or for no reason at all. You might get a fierce headache that seems to last forever. You might have a hard time concentrating on what people are saying. You might become so dizzy that you are unable to do such basic things as tie your shoes or unlock a door. You might call your best friend ugly in front of everyone. You might pick a fight with someone much bigger than you. You might commit a crime like stealing or vandalizing. You might run across a highway or do something else that's dangerous. Eyes Alcohol can make it hard to stay awake, but then it also disturbs your sleep. When you wake up, you will still be tired, and maybe grouchy, as well. Mouth Alcohol can make you mumble your words. You may speak too loudly. You may say rude things that offend people. You may say things you'd never say if you hadn't drunk alcohol. Your breath may stink. Heart Alcohol can stress your heart. You may have an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, a stroke, even heart failure. Legs Alcohol makes you clumsy. You can't walk straight and you trip, even over nothing. |
You can learn more important and fun information by logging onto www.nick.com/ads/asklistenlearn/kids/. Click on “You Are What You Drink.”
What You Don't "No" Can Hurt You
In case you don’t already know it, it’s safe (and smart, and healthy) to turn down alcohol - but you still might be nervous about doing it. One way to make it easier is to pretend you’re saying no to something you’re not nervous about. In other words, if someone asks if you want a drink, treat it as though you heard something where “no” comes naturally.
You hear:
“Want a drink?”
But you pretend to hear (select any that work
for you):
“Want to see my shoelace collection?”
“Want to eat this bowl of bugs?”
“Want to go to school naked?”
“Want to change your name to ‘Mayonnaise’?”
“Want to sleep outside when it’s below zero?”
“Want to clean my eyebrow hairs one by one?”
“Want to give a pig a piggyback ride?”
“Want to brush your teeth with mud?”
“Want to trade your computer for this
old pillowcase?”
“Want to pick your nose and get caught
doing it?”
“Want to harm your body, get depressed,
throw up, and break the law all at once?”
You won’t have any trouble saying no to any of those.
Learn about The Action Against Alcohol Agreement
pdf version
THE CENTURY COUNCIL would like to thank: American Academy of Family Physicians • American School Counselor Association • Eastern Michigan University • National Association of Secondary School Principals • National Latino Children’s Institute • National Middle School Association • Superintendent of Schools (Kennebunk, Maine) • United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for providing scientific input and information for use in creating this program.
©2005 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Ask Listen Learn is published by Nickelodeon Custom Publishing. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material in this publication without the written permission of The Century Council and Nickelodeon is expressly prohibited. Custom publishing inquiries to Noelle.Wojciehowski@nick.com.
SOLUTION: 1. (a) all. It can affect almost all other body parts, too. 2. True. 3. False. Alcohol can make you vomit, and if you vomit too hard, it can tear your esophagus. 5. True. It can cause you to go the bathroom over and over, which can cause dehydration, meaning your body's fluids are reduced to an unhealthy level. 6. True. A slower reaction time could make it harder to kick a soccer ball or hit a baseball. 8. False. Alcohol can affect your thinking, which interferes with your ability to focus and concentrate. That makes it harder to study——and remember. 9. True. 11. True. (See answer to #5.) 12. False. In the U.S., the legal drinking age is 21. 14. False. Alcohol affects all parts of your body, making you uncoordinated and tired. If anything, it will make you a worse athlete. 15. True. (See answer to #14.) 17. (b) drinking too much alcohol. 18. True. 20. True. 21. (b) seltzer. 23. True. Alcohol can lead to liver disease, heart disease, and more. 24. True. In fact, any amount of alcohol is too much if you are underage. 25. (c) both and more. 27. True.
