Holidays and Alcohol – Thinking About the Examples We Set For Our Kids

The holidays are a festive time of year filled with fun and celebrations involving adults and children alike. As we enjoy the season, it’s important to make sure that we are celebrating safely and setting the right examples for our kids. Even though it may be tempting to loosen the rules during holiday time, make sure to set clear expectations and have everyone in your family onboard. Also remember that teens learn from experience and observations – be sure to set good examples around alcohol use in your home and at parties you attend or host. For thoughts on how to do this successfully, read Holiday Parties and the Hypocrisy Dilemma, which includes some good suggestions for how to talk to your teens about age-dependent activities like alcohol consumption and how to model safe holiday behavior.