Motherhood is a stressful job. More than one mom has joked, “Now I know why mothers drink!” But is it really a joke? Alcohol use isn’t just an I-had-a-stressful day solution. Its consumption affects safety and also conveys strong messages to your children. Alcohol is a teen drinking issue, and it becomes that long before you have teens. Make sure your alcohol use isn’t sliding into alcoholism.
In a “do as I say, not as I do” world, alcohol-related actions speak louder than words. Whether you never drink, occasionally have a few margaritas on girls night out, tend to have a single glass of quality wine with meals or drink something just about every night, your relationship with alcohol is a message to your kids. What message are you sending?
Not drinking
Not drinking at all is an absolutely valid choice, of course. But you still need to think about your relationship with alcohol. Whether you don’t drink because of religious or health reasons, because you’ve had a problem with alcohol in the past or plain don’t like it, it’s still a relationship with alcohol, and it can still be problematic. Particularly if the relationship is adversarial — if you don’t believe in drinking, or have had a problem with it — think about how you communicate that to your kids. Could you do better?
>> Is it okay to drink around my children?
Social sipping
Social drinking is very common, but what kind of social drinking do you do? Does your social sipping ever slide into binge drinking — that is, five or more drinks on one occasion? With binge drinking among teens a continued concern (24.2% of high school students reported binge drinking in the CDC’s 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior) , could your occasional drinking actually be modeling inappropriate behaviors?
Regular relaxation
If you are someone who drinks alcohol regularly as a way to “relax,” is that the only way your kids see you relax? Are your kids getting the message that consuming alcohol is the only way to relax? Even if your kids never see you inebriated, and you believe you are modeling appropriate alcohol use overall, this is not exactly a healthy message.
Make sure your kids see you choosing not to drink, and for no particular reason — such as being a designated driver — but just because. Let your kids see you making the choice not to drink as a part of modeling behaviors.
>> Alcohol-free: A new trend in wine
Dependence – and getting help if you need it
After some honest reflection, if you suspect you might have a problem with alcohol in any way, the first step is to admit there’s an issue. Then get help. Start with your doctor or medical care provider. He or she can provide resources so you can address very important issue, before it becomes a bigger family issue.
>> Alcohol and your heart: What you should know
As our children grow into adolescents, alcohol becomes a big issue. Make sure your relationship with alcohol is appropriate before trying to counsel your teen on drinking.
more about drinking and parenthood?
- Parents open door to drinking for many teens
- Hot topic: Moms and drinking
- Drinking alcohol while pregnant: Safe or risky?
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