5 Ways Parents Can Prevent Teenage Drinking

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I'm working on a product that creates a tamper proof seal that can be applied to a liquor bottle to thwart kids from getting into your alcohol. It's inexpensive and easy to use. My feeling is that if kids think they will get caught by breaking the seal, they will not take the risk, and this may also keep your home from being party central when you are not there. The product is patent pending and I am trying to see what the market for it would be. I figure that you could lock up 24 bottles for about $20.00. The seals are replaceable, so they should be stored where kids can't get to them. A locking box could be included for an extra fee. Does this seem to be worthwhile? Would you buy it?

Richard Michiel of NY 2:17PM April 23, 2012

what should a parent do if they catch their teenager drinking?

martha rios of CA 10:15PM October 22, 2011

i tink if parents stop drinkin in front thier chilidren maybe sum children wouldnt get the idea.....yes of coarse life gets tough an parents wants to drink but they shouldnt do it infront thier children..havin ah pary yea sure but always make sure the alcohol is near u an the grown ups......dont allow children to start drinkin at home...at school teachers and guards should pay attention to the children....watch to see if u notice the children are havin problems an let them n=knoe dey can trust u an help dem, out.....bars should have guards by the door..an if dey look young make sure u see an id an make sure they are over the drinkin age....ppl come on these are the children of the future do u really want to raise dem the wrong way...dey are the ones we are leavin in the world..i am only 14 an i knoe life is tough as a teenager but parents should pay attendtion to dere children......

brina of NY 12:02PM May 14, 2011

Teen drinking can be safe! If you teach your kids the do's and dont's to drinking they would be safer. You cant stop teenage drinking, i dont think that would EVER happen. No matter how hard parents or the government tried, it just wouldnt happen. If kids knew the "safe" way to drinking it would be so different. If you teach your kids DONT DRINK AND DRIVE! Call home if you need a ride, or stay where you are, there is so many things teens can do stay off the road. And if your going to a party, make sure there is someone there you trust to take care of you if needed. Kids need to know that you can drink and be safe. You dont have to drink until your drunk to enjoy yourself. You can have A beer and still have fun.

Jesse of TX 12:50AM January 11, 2011

I think this is stupid im 14 and i drink whenever i want to im still fine. im doing good in school and so far my parents havent noticed that i drink. I think if your responsible enough to drink then go ahead do it.

Daniela Torres of WA 3:13PM November 15, 2010

People at my school drink all the time and their stories are bad. I just cannot believe it. I will not drink untill I am allowed to by the law. I do think that kids just drink because they feel like they are above the law. I also agree with the person above that if I can go to fight for my country I should be able to do drugs.

Jordan of CO 3:05PM October 25, 2010

I drank in H.S. but I thought I was responsible (as much as a teenager could be) about it. My parents drank, but warned me of the dangers and that I was also predisposed to alcoholism (ran on my father's side). It gave me awareness, but did not stop me. Kids are going to do what they want... regardless. By the time I got to college, drinking was not a big deal. Whereas many kids "went off the deep-end" when they got to college and over indulged WAY too much. Many of them failing out in their freshman year. Granted, I went to H.S. and College in New Orleans and the drinking age was 18 then. The out-of-state kids went crazy when they had the freedom to drink at 18. By age 21, it was not a big deal and I was "past" all the craziness. While many kids were whooping it up at 21, I was "over" it.
I think what is most important is to have a good relationship with your children... as tough as it may be when they are teenagers. Even though I still drank, I never wanted to disappoint them, which made me be really careful when I did.
Do I condone teenage drinking? No. I'm just stating that they are going to do what they want, no matter how good the reasoning may be.

LJ of CA 12:36PM June 09, 2010

Drinking alcohol is stupid, expensive and destructive. Nothing else in America ends more marriages, fires more employees and takes more lives than alcohol. How do people in the alcohol industry sleep at night knowing of the lives they have helped destroy? Alcohol is liquid stupidity. You do what you like but I choose not to be stupid even in moderation. You can't make "smart choices" while consuming something whose most powerful trait is that it renders the consumer incapable of thinking clearly. How did Americans become so deaf, dumb and blind?

Dan of MO 11:30AM April 21, 2010

Th drinking age should be 18. I gree with the comment about going to war. If kids can do that then certainly they can drink and do drugs, which is smething a lot less risky.

Ashley of NY 9:25PM April 20, 2010

Really? 21? But we can send 18 year olds to Iraq and Afghanastan to get shot up and lose limbs, lives. Let's not forget about the psychological damage our kids are suffering there too. I really wouldn't want to be a teenager these days. It doesn't sound like fun anymore. Maybe we should be realistic and teach moderation with smart choices.

Brad of NH 12:58PM April 19, 2010