Female adolescents who drank at home were more likely to drink more in college!

A study of 449 college-bound female high school seniors who were not allowed by their parents to drink alcohol at all engaged in less binge drinking while in college compared to those who were allowed to drink at home with friends. The authors suggest that parental drinking permissiviveness and later binge drinking is heavily influenced by the mother's alcohol approval. Even parent-monitored drinking does not protect adolescents from drinking heavily later. 

PositiveTip: Prohibit your adolescents from drinking alcoholic beverages at home for their later benefit.

The earlier a person starts drinking the more likely they are to become alcohol dependent.

A fascinating study has investigated the relationship of alcohol dependence to the age of first drinking among 2691 twins living in Australia. In both males and females it was found that the earlier they started drinking, the more likely they were to become dependent on alcohol (41.1% of males who started before the age of 14 vs. 14.6% in those starting later, 25.3% for females starting early vs. 7.5% starting later). 

PositiveTip: Contrary to some advice given, avoid encourging young adolescents to try alcohol even if supervised.

Kids who did not drink at home are less likely to drink as heavily outside the home.

Dutch researchers examined whether parent-monitored drinking as well as drinking with best friends slowed the usual increase in alcohol consumption and binge drinking patterns in adolescents as they grew older. The authors conclude, “Our findings suggest that parents who do not want their children to develop heavy drinking patterns later on should prohibit alcohol use of their adolescent children at home and outside the home at an early age.”

PositiveTip: Beware of the idea of parent-monitored drinking. Not allowing teens to drink is the best prevention!

The earlier kids try alcohol, the greater risk for alcohol dependence later in life.

Have you ever heard that teaching kids how to use alcohol at an early age is a good idea. Beware: more than 40 percent of those who begin drinking at age 14 or younger develop alcohol dependence, compared with 10 percent of those who begin drinking at age 20 or older.

PositiveTip: Don’t consider allowing your kids to drink at an early age. It’s a loaded gun!