Pledge

Pledge

Sunday 8 January 2012

Alcohol and teenagers

Where are your kids tonight?
 
I'm so proud of our daughter - proud of her in many ways, but especially for her courage and commitment to stand by her beliefs.  She's 14 years old now and, about a year ago, most of her friends began to drink and smoke.  To our dismay, her two best friends were included.  She'd been friends with these girls from primary school and spent most evenings in their company.

Gradually, Charlotte stopped going out in the evenings and began to spend most of her time at home.  Her dad and I worried about this.  We asked her if there was anything wrong.  She told us that her friends were spending their nights drinking alcohol in secluded places around the town, and she didn't want to join in.  Our minds were put at rest.  Thank goodness our daughter has the sense and the courage not to get involved.  It may have set her apart from the rest, but at least we know where she spends her time in the evenings and that she's safe and happy, and she has other friends who take a similar view.

A few months ago, Charlotte met one of her 'then' best friends.  Charlotte asked her if she wanted to come back to the house with her.  The friend told her that she didn't want to.  Charlotte asked her why.  "Because you're different from us," the girl replied.  Thank goodness for that difference.

 For advice on talking to your child about alcohol go to drinkaware.co.uk



Go here for advice on resisting peer pressure.

2 comments:

  1. You must be so proud of her - and relieved that she's out of that set.
    And thanks for the young teens place. I'm going to sit down and go through it with my almost 12 year old, and then keep encouraging her to focus on lizards and birds of prey!

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  2. Hi Anne. I think 12 is a good age to start talking about it. Children are faced with so much so soon these days. Lizards and birds of prey for me too anytime. :D

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