raising alcohol-free youth
Do kids think of your house as the fun house?
They can still have fun in an alcohol-free zone!
Cheltenham Communities That Care (CTC) encourages you to learn why it's important to take the time to let the children in your life know that you care about what they drink and why.
Read on to learn how you can Start by Connecting and Start Making the Difference!
Ready to talk with your teen about alcohol?
As a parent/caregiver, YOU have a major impact on the decisions your child(ren) make.
Start with the facts.
montgomery county youth alcohol use
WHY DO YOUTH CONSUME ALCOHOL?
There are many reasons youth consume alcohol, including:
- Peer pressure
- Observing family, friends, and people they admire drinking often, excessively, and/or as a coping mechanism
- A perceived way to relieve stress and anxiety
- The belief that it will help them to fit-in and be more popular
- The influence of movies, TV shows, advertisements, and posts on social media
- A means of escapism
- A course of action that avoids dealing with actual problems and striving to develop solutions
- Feelings of helplessness and possibly hopelessness
- Lack of a good support system
- Interpreting drinking as being part of a society’s accepted social scene when getting together with friends, family, and co-workers for celebrations and parties, dinners, business gatherings, and sports games.
Justification for underage drinking can be reinforced when accompanied by a lack of education, factual data, and/or a strong positive family/role model influence.
According to the Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) data of the 2021 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS):
It would be “sort of easy” or “very easy” for me to get beer, wine, or hard liquor.
- 8th graders: 29.9%
- 10th graders: 47.2%
- 12th graders: 56.4%
Based on students indicating alcohol use in the past 12 months, students obtained the alcohol because “parents provided it to me.”
- 8th graders: 39.8%
- 10th graders: 28.5%
- 12th graders: 32.5%
Based on students indicating alcohol use in the past 12 months, students obtained the alcohol because they “gave someone money to buy it for me.”
- 8th graders: 5.7%
- 10th graders: 15.3%
- 12th graders: 31.4%
Cheltenham Township Special Events
Alcohol consumption is not permitted in Cheltenham Township park facilities without prior written approval of a license or special permit from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
For more information about Pennsylvania state laws, as well as educational information and resources on alcohol, visit the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board website.
Pennsylvania Social Host Law
Pennsylvania Social Host Law
In the state of Pennsylvania, a homeowner may be charged with a criminal offense, resulting in a fine and possible prison time, if found to be in violation of furnishing alcohol to minors.
Learn more about social host laws.
Alcohol and Your Brain
Pennsylvania Social Host Law
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works.
Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs.
Talk With Your Children
Talk With Your Children
As a parent/caregiver, YOU have a major impact on the decisions your child(ren) make.
Begin talking with your child(ren) at an early age, as well as at an age appropriate level, about the dangers of alcohol.
Prepare for and practice these important conversations with the free Talk. They Hear You app.
Maximize your connections with the children in your life
Share the Conversation by Asking Open-Ended Questions.
Try not to control the conversation. You may learn more with these types of questions rather than ones that illicit a simple "yes" or "no" response.
Make an Effort.
Listen. Try to understand and acknowledge the other person's feelings and perspectives.
Act with Patience and Understanding.
Be honest and respectful. Try to recall what is is like to be a teenager.
Share Facts and Resources. Avoid Criticism and Judgements.
Ask for permission to share your opinions and personal experiences.
Work Together.
Discuss and develop solutions and strategies. As much as you want your views to be heard, your child needs you to listen to their thoughts and concerns too.
Make Your Home an Alcohol-Free Zone
Set firm rules about no drinking until age 21, and establish your house as an alcohol-free zone for all minors.
Learn the facts.
Share the facts.
Discuss the facts.