“As a teenager I was drunk from the age of about 14 to 19. It put me in the most ridiculously dangerous positions. This came about because my family never discussed alcohol with me.” (Jo Brand)
In this video from the
Alcohol. It’s no joke. campaign, Jo Brand talks frankly about the pressure on young people to drink and the importance of raising alcohol as an issue in family conversations.
It can be really difficult to talk to teenagers at the best of times. Even parents who are very close to their children can encounter resistance when wanting to talk about ‘grown up’ issues. It can be awkward, embarrassing and seen as an intrusion or an invasion of privacy.
It is surprising that parents find it hard to talk about alcohol with their children – given how much it is part of our culture. If you are stuck for a starting point, then why not make reference to something on the TV or in the news? You can have a discussion about alcohol without it sounding like an intervention.
In fact, the more you introduce topics of conversation like this in context, the easier you will find it to talk openly without awkwardness. Need some further help talking to your children about difficult subjects? Have a look at our top tips.
On the Why Let Drink Decide Campaign website there are some other
useful tips on talking about alcohol, alongside some specific scenarios to help you think about, and prepare for, potentially difficult situations. The
drinkaware website also contains useful strategies and facts to support you in conversation with your children.
