Ways to Prevent Underage Drinking: Develop a No Questions Asked Agreement with Your Teen

A no questions asked agreement needs to be talked about carefully, but is one that I've instituted with my own child. If your child finds themselves in a situation that could be harmful, whether it be at a party where there are drugs and alcohol, or if they've put themselves in a situation that they know you'll be angry about but that they know they shouldn't be in, tell them to call you to pick them up no questions asked with the understanding that you will talk about the situation at a later time, perhaps the next day.

This type of arrangement is beneficial for several reasons. First, you are getting your child out of the situation that might be potentially harmful to them. That is the most important thing at that point. Second, you are allowing your child to recognize that they may have made a bad choice and giving them the opportunity to correct that bad choice.

By asking no questions at the time you pick up your child you are allowing your child to get out of a bad situation without the fear of being reprimanded in front of their peers or at a time when they already feel badly. When you pick up your child, commend them for having the maturity to call and make the right choice. Tell them that you will talk about the situation the next day when you've both had time to sleep on it. As hard as it is not to grill your teenager at that point, it will give both of you the room to think about the situation.

When you do sit down and talk to your teenager about the incident, make sure you don't yell. If your teenager thinks that they will be lectured, they're less likely to be open to talking about the situation honestly. Allow your child the room to tell you how they came to be in that situation, what happened to prompt them to call you, and what they would do differently next time around.

Remember, this is not the only situation your teenager will encounter in their life where they will need to make a good judgment call. If you can help guide them at this age, they'll be able to make better choices when you are not their to rescue them from a situation when they are an adult.