What is, in your opinion, the cause of so much teen drinking?

[Anonymous]

Parents, beware. Your kids lie. Even the “best” of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's really important to teach young women alcohol safety. I know so many who were raped or assaulted after drinking at a college party. It was devastating and affected them well into the future.

I think it's really important to teach young men alcohol safety. I know of so many who raped or assaulted people after drinking at a college party. It was devastating and affected them well into the future.

I agree with both statements.

Same here. Everyone at a frat party has something to lose. I really think alcohol safety begins at home. Demystify beer and booze and remind our kids that they need to stay in control while partying.

Ha! Once the drinking starts, good luck with that.

What you all think is the whole point of “having a few”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many times this has happened to friends, even to me, adults are there, no alcohol in the house, checking bags, you organize a great party, you hire a police officer and they know this and still bring it.

Wait what? I got stuck on this part. This is not common in my experience at all.

DP, this was( an maybe still is) a thing in Potomac and Bethesda. I think maybe MoCo police officers stopped doing it. But, yes, wealthy parents do this. I presume that this is an extra gig. I know lawyer parents who did this.

I’m in Bethesda and my son has attended a few parties with hired bouncers at the door and that were there if needed by the parents to help manage things. I think it’s smart. I can’t handle hosting a party at my house, way too anxiety producing. I let my teens attend parties and just do my own due diligence and handle drinking or whatever our way with them. Can’t be responsible for other people’s kids.

[Anonymous]

My teens tell me that drinking is very prevalent with girls and boys often prefer pot. Pot harder to tell if used and easier to conceal as vaping it is very common now or edibles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teens tell me that drinking is very prevalent with girls and boys often prefer pot. Pot harder to tell if used and easier to conceal as vaping it is very common now or edibles.

There are teens that drink, that smoke pot, and that do both. All is prevalent. You will know if a lot of pot is involved, they start doing really bad in school really fast. All is very common today. Hopefully you are aware that if your kids tells you this, there is a chance they did it? Maybe not a ton? There are kid who drink a lot, doesn't mean they are doing pot too. Often kids prefer one over the other. Pot heads are not known for a lot of drinking in my DD's HS in MCPS. Pot heads are often not that popular kids in DD's HS,(and if they were lose their "status" as they lose their minds from pot), while drinkers, who don't do pot, are somewhat more popular kids. Almost all drink will drink if they get the chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are so many times this has happened to friends, even to me, adults are there, no alcohol in the house, checking bags, you organize a great party, you hire a police officer and they know this and still bring it.

Wait what? I got stuck on this part. This is not common in my experience at all.

OP here. Yes, in Potomac, I know parents who hired a police officer who was checking the bags, kids knew this will be happening and he still confiscated a lot of booze and pot. It is becoming a thing more and more. I know particularly lawyer parents who do this.

That is simultaneously brilliant, hilarious, and very, very sad.

Wealthy parents also hire body guards for their kids on Spring Break.

[Anonymous]

IMO, the cause is tradition: it has become a rite of passage for U.S. teens and no one knows how to stop the cycle.