Setting Boundaries About Alcohol

How to set rules and boundaries to protect your kids

One of the greatest challenges that any parent will face is the setting of boundaries and establishing rules around alcohol use for their teenage children.

As more information becomes available about the risks associated with teenage drinking, parents are desperately looking for advice on how to set realistic and appropriate boundaries that will protect their children. Many parents are worried about creating rules about drinking alcohol that are too restrictive for their teens, believing that they will not be followed and can push their children to explore dangerous patterns of drinking.

So how do parents navigate through this difficult topic and how do you know what the right rules are for you and your family?

Experts advise that this age group should not drink alcohol at all, so the most important boundaries to be set for pre-teens are those for adults and the example they are setting as role models.

Every drinking parent must accept there are boundaries that must be observed when it comes to their own drinking behaviour, such as the quantities they consume and driving under the influence. In other words, parents need to consider their own alcohol consumption and attitudes to alcohol and drink responsibly. Remember, kids absorb your drinking.

Practical Tip

Examine your own drinking behaviour, as well as your rules and boundaries. Discuss with your partner what messages your child is picking up from observing your drinking behaviour. What rules and boundaries around alcohol do you follow? They may be as simple as always making sure one of you is the designated driver for the evening, or making sure you never drink on an empty stomach; nearly every family will have some rules they follow.

To view or download free resources, including brochures, posters and facts sheets, click here. You can also watch videos of our Ambassadors discussing the issue of kids and alcohol.