Should you let your kids drink?

Hello everyone! Fun news: We’re doing our first live Q&A to answer all of your questions about parenting teens and tweens…honestly. We’re so excited to make this a regular thing: expert opinions, real questions, and our unfiltered thoughts!

Want to join? We’ve got limited seats and we’re giving first dibs to our Common Parent members (get a free trial here if you’re not part of the crew yet!). Grab your spot here!

Should You Let Your Kids Drink?

It’s an age-old parenting question: Should you let your kids drink before they’re of legal age? On one hand, you want to keep them safe and alcohol can make that harder. But on the other, you want them to know their limits before they’re off to college and keg parties. So what’s a parent to do? This info might help →

The reality: The earlier a child starts drinking, the more likely they are to develop a substance abuse problem later in life.

• According to experts, kids who have their first drink in 8th grade are at an almost 50% chance of developing substance use disorder in their lifetime.

• That risk drops by half if they wait until 10th grade to drink. And then it drops by another half if kids wait until they’re 18.

• And at about 18, it doesn’t matter a whole lot—you reach the national average for people with substance use disorder.

Ultimately, the best thing you can do is follow your gut as a parent—and know that a sip of your wine at dinner doesn’t mean disaster for your child. Just try to keep them from drinking until they’re old enough to make their own choices.

 The Reason Kids Might Abuse Substances

Why do kids use drugs and alcohol? New research shows that it’s often to ease stress and anxiety. Let’s roll the numbers:

• 73% of teens in a recent survey said they used drugs or drinking “to feel mellow, calm, or relaxed.” 

• 44% used drugs, such as marijuana, as sleep aides.

• A big share of kids also reported drug use as a means to “stop worrying about a problem or forget bad memories.” 

• And 40% said they used to cope with depression or anxiety.

This sheds a ton of light on the why behind teen substance abuse—it’s not just a rebellious phase. It might actually be something bigger…because 75% of young people with a substance use disorder also have a mental health condition.

Want to help your kids with substance abuse or mental health (or both)? Here are some ideas:

• Educate your kids about the risks of using drugs, especially alone. Consider providing naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses, too.

• Avoid suggesting to your kids that drinking is something you do to relax or ease your mind—it might send the wrong message.

• Scroll through some of these tips for parents and caregivers who want to know if their child is struggling. ❤️

Your Kids Might Be Worried About What Now?

Add this to the list of things our kids are worried about these days: money. According to a new study, 78% of 13–18-year-olds say they are stressed out about money. And no doubt, a lot of that stress comes from parents expressing their own financial worries.

So? While it’s a great call to prepare your child for eventual financial independence and teach them how money works…make sure you’re not offloading your own stress about money onto your kids. Teach ‘em how $$$ works, but don’t make them feel like they’re a burden on your finances—that can have lasting effects (and not the good kind).

Sometimes parenting buzzwords are total bullsh*t. But other times? They actually have a good point. One of the winners these days: boundaries. They’re important for parents and kids alike. So today? The perfect recs to help your kids establish (and respect!) boundaries.

• Creating safe boundaries for teens to challenge

• How to establish healthy gaming and tech boundaries for your teen (sign us up!)

• Some gems from fellow parents on setting boundaries with your kids

• 5 boundaries to set with your teen

• Should you be friends with your kid?