How to Handle Alcohol and Peer Pressure

It’s not enough to tell your young teen that he or she should avoid alcohol—you also need to help your child figure out how. What can your daughter say when she goes to a party and a friend offers her a beer? (See “Six Ways to Say No to a Drink.”) Or what should your son do if he finds himself in a home where kids are passing around a bottle of wine and parents are nowhere in sight? What should their response be if they are offered a ride home with an older friend who has been drinking?

Brainstorm with your teen for ways that he or she might handle these and other difficult situations, and make clear how you are willing to support your child. An example: “If you find yourself at a home where kids are drinking, call me and I’ll pick you up—and there will be no scolding or punishment.” The more prepared your child is, the better able he or she will be to handle high-pressure situations that involve drinking.

At some point, your child will be offered alcohol. To resist such pressure, teens say they prefer quick “one-liners” that allow them to dodge a drink without making a big scene. It will probably work best for your teen to take the lead in thinking up comebacks to drink offers so that he or she will feel comfortable saying them. But to get the brainstorming started, here are some simple pressure-busters—from the mildest to the most assertive.

Six Ways to Say 'No!'

1. No thanks.
2. I don’t feel like it—do you have any soda?
3. Alcohol’s NOT my thing.
4. Are you talking to me? FORGET it.
5. Why do you keep pressuring me when I’ve said NO?
6. Back off!

   Recommended Book List:

   • How to Say No and Keep Your Friends: Peer Pressure Reversal for Teens and Preteens
   • Peer Pressure: Deal with it without losing your cool