Parents/Caregivers

Children look to their parents and caregivers as their primary source for advice, support, and role modeling. Use the Discussion Guides to help you talk with your children about underage alcohol use. Parent Power resources provide additional information on steps you can take in your home and community to help young people avoid underage drinking.

Visit the Statistics page for facts about underage drinking and its consequences. The UAD Web Sites page provides links to several sites with additional resources for parents and caregivers on keeping children safe from underage alcohol use.

Discussion Guides

Real Kids Are Curious About Alcohol: A Family Guide to Underage Drinking Prevention This guide provides facts and practical advice on how parents can talk with their children about underage drinking. Helpful tips guide parents in talking about alcohol, and parents can personalize an action plan to help start the conversation with their children. This guide also has resources for families, peers, and other adult influencers on a child’s decision to drink. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; April 2010)

Comience a hablar antes de que ellos comiencen a beber: Una guía para la familia This brochure is the Spanish-language version of Real Kids Are Curious About Alcohol: A Family Guide to Underage Drinking Prevention. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; April 2010)

Audience Insights: Communicating to Teens (Aged 12–17) Today’s teens are the most marketing-savvy and brand-conscious generation to date. Their health behaviors and outcomes reflect their economic, racial, gender, and geographic disparities. Knowing the habits and preferences of teens can help parents communicate more effectively with their children. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010)

Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts This brochure dispels common myths about underage alcohol use and helps 9- to 15-year-olds understand the dangers associated with using alcohol. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; updated 2010)

Parent Power

Monitoring Your Teen’s Activities: What Parents and Families Should Know Parents are a powerful influence in the lives of their teens. When parents know what their teens are doing and where they are and set clear expectations for behavior with regular check-ins to be sure these expectations are being met—parents can reduce teens’ risks for injuries and drug and alcohol use. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010)

Parents—Help Your Teens Party Right at Graduation This factsheet describes how simple, important precautionary measures, such as prom-planning involvement and open communication with teens, can make a difference for this memorable occasion. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; May 2009)

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: What It Means to You―A Guide to Action for Families This guide gives you the knowledge and tools you need to take action against underage drinking. It tells you about underage alcohol use and the damage it can do. And it suggests ways you can end underage drinking in your home, family, community, and across the country.(Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2007)

Llamado a la acción del Cirujano General para prevenir y reducir el consumo de alcohol por menores de edad: Lo que significa para usted—Guía de acción para las familias This Spanish-language guide, based on the Surgeon General’s Call to Action, gives families the knowledge and tools to take action against underage drinking. It explains why underage alcohol use is a problem and suggests ways that families can end underage alcohol use in the home, in the community, and across the country. (Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2007)

To view or print a PDF you need to download free Adobe Reader software.