Teenagers and alcohol: every parent needs a plan.

TEENAGERS AND ALCOHOL: EVERY PARENT NEEDS A PLAN —

Did you know that there is no legal drinking age in New Zealand?

There’s a legal purchase age (18) but no limit as to when a young person can start to drink alcohol, leaving parents with the task of setting rules to try to mitigate risky situations.

That’s where our Public Health Service comes to the rescue with The Plan, a set of tools and resources to help parents and caregivers delay the age at which a young person starts drinking.

Health promoters Carol McIntosh and Hilary Genet, with Rosey Duncan from the Health Action Trust, developed The Plan in consultation with local parents. It’s been well received, earning the team a 2018 NMH Health Innovation Award, and catching the attention of local schools.

Waimea College presented The Plan to parents at an information evening this year, facilitating a discussion among parents, which is one of the key component of The Plan.

Other strategies include: • networking with other parents • getting to know their teen’s friends • role-modelling: showing teens that you do not have to drink to have a good time • setting a ‘no drinking away from home’ rule for under-18s • allowing a sip or taste of an alcoholic drink with parents at meal time for over-16s • always phoning the party host to check that other parents are there • talking through scenarios with their teen.

There was a higher than expected turn-out for the parent evening with more than 60 very engaged parents discussing, sharing and giving feedback on managing teen drinking.