Reply to Would you mind if your 15 year old drank?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Yes, I would absolutely mind!
College is the earliest kids should try alcohol (responsibly, although it might be wishful thinking). [/quote]

Not trying until college reduces the likelihood your kid will try responsibly then.[/quote]

You made that up. [/quote]

Kids who have never had alcohol, particularly if it is because of parent restrictions, are more likely to go crazy with the freedom of college.  They are also less prepared to handle the effects of alcohol so are more likely to get trashed, intentionally or not.[/quote]
NP, and you have literally no research to back that up.

As someone who studies alcohol addiction, you’re damn right I would mind if my 15 year old drank.  I’m not so naive as to think teenagers never drink, but I’m not going to approve it or supply for them or tell them it’s okay.  Same for weed.  Both substances are terrible for developing brains.

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The problem is that you’re surrounded with worst case scenario so you really actually don’t understand what happens to the majority of kids.[/quote]
NP. I don't think you understand how research works...[/quote]

How about you read a little bit about the research done around cops, firefighters, and therapists and how I was being around tragedy affects their ability to reason.[/quote]

Addiction researcher here: you’re talking about trauma research.  I know something about that, too, and it’s absolutely a risk factor for later development of addiction (and a whole host of other things).  Your comment is a non sequiter, but I wanted to address the link between trauma and addiction.

As to the worst case scenario thing: I know how to interpret epidemiological and longitudinal studies.  I’ve also treated patients with addiction, and know how to separate my clinical work from the research.  Sure, the majority of kids who drink in adolescence don’t go on to develop alcohol addiction.  That doesn’t mean it’s good for them or okay to do or NBD.  I’ll try to modify those risk factors I can, thanks.[/quote]

I agree with the researcher.

Plus, many of you are jumping to the worst case scenario — addiction. But there’s also impaired behavior and judgment. Having sex while drunk and later realizing you did not consent. Or you did not get consent.  Or you drive drunk and get arrested. Or hurt. Or hurt someone else.  Kids can barely manage their hormonal messy lives while sober. Don’t make it worse. [/quote]

+1 and thanks, addiction researcher. The bottom line is, even if you don’t care if DC gets drunk occasionally, even if you almost expect DC to experiment, you need to set firm boundaries and act like it’s a  big deal. Teens are programmed to push boundaries, and if your boundaries are super-lax they’ll just go that much further to go beyond them. With a variety of possible bad consequences. [/quote]

I understand there is something to this but just as there may be some differences between boys and girls generally but the differences among boys and among girls are so great that it’s harmful to rely on boy/girl stereotypes for any individual kid, I think it’s important to know your kid. Not every kid when treated like a proto-adult reacts by seeing how far they can push it and gets into trouble.

The hypothetical was not would you be upset if your kid drank and drove but would you be upset if your kid had 1-2 beers. Some people have rationally discussed that it may increase risks and that’s fair, but people (certainly including kids) are very good at sensing BS and the idea that you should intentionally overreact because that will get the desired behavior from your teen is not something I would try. [/quote]

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