Parents of Teens, Stop Hosting Parties with Booze!

Don’t allow underage drinking at your house!

Photo by Nick Rickert on Unsplash

Dear irresponsible and inconsiderate US parents…

What are you doing? Why are you allowing your kids to drink alcohol at age 16? Or even 17, 18, 19, and 20?

And why do you think it’s okay to allow other underage kids to drink at your house?

I get your rationale for allowing your kids the “freedom” to experiment inside your home.

I disagree with it, but I get it.

However, where do you get off allowing my underage kid to drink at your house?

Photo by Jana Knorr on Unsplash

Your excuses aren’t excuses. They’re part of the problem.

You say, “They’re going to consume alcohol anyway. I just give them a safe place to hang out and drink so they won’t drive drunk.”

Newsflash: If you’re allowing my underage kid to drink, you’re not giving them “a safe place to hang out.”

“Well, I don’t know if they’re all drinking. I just let them do their thing in the backyard. It’s more of a don’t ask, don’t tell understanding.”

Again, not a safe place for my kid.

“Well, no one is making your kid drink at a party. Your kid needs to say no if he doesn’t want to drink.”

Wrong. The adults in my kid’s life need to say no if he wants to drink. ⛔

We are Parents! We Don’t Negotiate with Terrorists.

(Check out these other myths parents believe about providing alcohol to underage kids.)

Not my circus. 🎪🐒

Look, ultimately, when you’re at your house, it’s not my circus, not my monkeys. I’m not going to argue with you...unless my monkey is at your circus.

If my monkey is at your underage alcohol-drinking circus, the least you can do is be honest with me and allow me to parent my own 🐵!

Photo by Ciocan Ciprian on Unsplash

Why do I care? Because I love my kid!

Here’s the thing, we parents have the right to say no. I’d go as far as to say that we have the responsibility and obligation to say no to things we know aren't good for our kids.

And we know alcohol is not good for our kids. Check out what the CDC says:

Underage Drinking is Dangerous

Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience the following:

• Social problems, such as fighting or lack of participation in youth activities.
• Unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity.
• Disruption of normal growth or sexual development.
• Physical and sexual violence.
• Increased risk of suicide and homicide.
• Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, or drowning.
• Memory problems.
• Misuse of other substances.
• Changes in brain development that may have life-long effects.
• Alcohol poisoning.

Please notice the CDC does NOT say:
These dangers don’t apply to teens who drink alcohol with an adult nearby.

But on top of the health issues, it’s ILLEGAL.

And let’s not forget that in 1984 the United States federal government issued the Minimum Legal Drinking Age as 21 years old.

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

Whether you agree with the law or not, there are valid reasons for the 21-year-old age limit, many of which I listed above.

However, perhaps the most valid reason is that underage drinking has been found to be a public health problem. According to the CDC:

• Excessive drinking contributes to more than 3,900 deaths among people below the age of 21 in the U.S. each year.
• Underage drinking cost the U.S. economy $24 billion in 2010.

So here’s what I’m saying:

First, all of your excuses about allowing underage drinking at your house are lame.

Let’s call a spade a spade: you’re attempting to control your kid by victimizing other kids and manipulating their parents. 🤬

Second, I’m trusting you to keep my kid safe if he’s at your house, and if you’re allowing him to drink before age 21, you’re not doing that. 👎

Finally, who cares if you agree or disagree? Underage drinking is illegal in the U.S. because it has been proven to be a massive public health problem. ☠️

Parents, you’re part of the problem if you allow underage kids to drink at your house! So stop! 🛑

The Best Advice for Your Kids in One Sentence