College Students and Drinking Your son or daughter will be leaving for college before you know it, and hopefully you’ve had conversations about underage drinking long before now.The importance of such talks can’t be stressed enough. In fact, age-appropriate talks about alcohol — for example, what it does in your body, how most people drink responsibly but some get into trouble … [Read more...]
Thanks, Palcohol — Parenting Teens Wasn’t Hard Enough.
The Dangers of Palcohol On Wednesday, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau approved four flavors of Palcohol, a powdered product that comes in convenient 1-oz packets. Mix the powder into 6 oz of water or the liquid of your choice, stir, and voilà: the perfect cocktail, with the alcohol content of a mixed drink. Palcohol comes in four varieties: V (vodka), R (rum), Cosmo, … [Read more...]
What To Do If You Think Your Teen is Drinking or Using
I have had some moms and dads ask me how I would react if one of my (underage) kids were using drugs or drinking, based on journeying down the path with my eldest son. So, I thought I would write about the subject since I know so many parents of middle-school and high school age kids worry about what they would do if they found out their child was drinking/using. While I … [Read more...]
Teenagers & Alcohol…Why It’s a Bad Idea to Turn a Blind Eye
It's difficult to decide whether growing pains are something teenagers have...or are. ~Author Unknown I was the first of my friends to have a baby. Therefore, I have also been the first to encounter parenting milestones such as sending my child off to kindergarten, shuttling him between two households, watching with pride and tears as he graduated from middle school and high … [Read more...]
New Year’s Party Tips: Helping Older Teens Stay Safe
New Year's Eve Alternatives for Teens New Year’s Eve isn’t just an adult celebrated holiday anymore and older teens are always looking for fun ways to get into the spirit of the season too. However, finding the ideal fun activity that can keep your teen safe and away from alcohol can often prove challenging, especially on New Year’s Eve. The following are some cool party ideas … [Read more...]
Double Take: What’s So Great about Drugs and Alcohol?
Dear Dr. Wes & Katie: I have a question that may surprise you coming from someone who is 19. Why do teenagers like doing drugs and alcohol? I've tried to figure this out since I was about 13 and I still don't get it. I've never seen anything good come from it. Most of my friends use. I've had family members with alcohol problems. So can you tell me why this is so … [Read more...]