How to talk to your child about why you can have alcohol
Tuesday, 11 Jan 2022
How would you talk to your child about why you can have alcohol or tea and coffee or even why you choose to smoke? They've just found they're drugs, stimulants and/or depressants and are telling you how these choices affect your body - sometimes in unhealthy ways.
In the video below, Dr Justin Coulson (psychologist/parenting researcher and author) shares some advice on how to approach the situation.
Get curious, not furious
Instead of getting defensive, be inquisitive. Ask them where they learnt that and what else they know. Your child will feel part of the conversation and that they had their say.
Moderation and relaxation
Depending on your child and the scenario you may choose to share that you do these things to unwind or relax. In this, express the importance of moderation. You may also talk about healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms and the role they could play.
Through our program, we are speaking with your kids about the use of drugs and alcohol and how they can affect our bodies. We do this to empower them to make better choices in their life. Find out more about this work in our Decisions module.
