Eliminating Underage Drinking, a Rebel without a Cause
A recent article in our local news about Rockford, IL reports that “Twenty-six Rockford businesses that operate with a liquor license received varying penalties for selling alcohol to minors. The Illinois Liquor Control Commission Tuesday released the results of a hearing held Sept. 17 at the E.J. Zeke Giorgi Center.” In this article is speaks of where these businesses were and the fines or penalties imposed whether pending or not. After reading it, I was glad to hear that there were some enforcement but then another thought occurred to me.
The main but missing ingredient to this was parental involvement. Now it should be made clear that you, as a parent, will never be able to protect your children but you can and always should educate them. Education can come is several different ways, it is not necessarily and only schooling. Education can come in the form of relaying your wishes of your children never drinking or what to do if they find themselves around those who do. Education can come in the form of explaining the dangers and none existing benefits of drinking, but the most important of all forms of education in this arena is setting the example. Contrary to ordinary thinking, Hollywood has little to no major effect upon your child but you do. So if you take a drink or drink heavily then be not surprised if that path is not taken up and followed by your children.
Parents are and always will be where many of us get our ideas on how life is from and in some instances we may use their actions as ammunition of fighting as to not follow in their footsteps but this is not always the case and more of what we do is repeated by those who are greatly influenced by us. There is no one way better than the next when it comes to this or any other subject regarding parenting. It is a choice we, as parents, have to make depending on our household and the lessons we wish to pass down to our kids. For one house in the neighborhood, drinking may not be a bad thing but for the neighbor next door, it may be one of the most deadly of sins. Choose for yourself which way you wish to go and instead of waiting on anyone else to raise them and lead them for you.
The main but missing ingredient to this was parental involvement. Now it should be made clear that you, as a parent, will never be able to protect your children but you can and always should educate them. Education can come is several different ways, it is not necessarily and only schooling. Education can come in the form of relaying your wishes of your children never drinking or what to do if they find themselves around those who do. Education can come in the form of explaining the dangers and none existing benefits of drinking, but the most important of all forms of education in this arena is setting the example. Contrary to ordinary thinking, Hollywood has little to no major effect upon your child but you do. So if you take a drink or drink heavily then be not surprised if that path is not taken up and followed by your children.
Parents are and always will be where many of us get our ideas on how life is from and in some instances we may use their actions as ammunition of fighting as to not follow in their footsteps but this is not always the case and more of what we do is repeated by those who are greatly influenced by us. There is no one way better than the next when it comes to this or any other subject regarding parenting. It is a choice we, as parents, have to make depending on our household and the lessons we wish to pass down to our kids. For one house in the neighborhood, drinking may not be a bad thing but for the neighbor next door, it may be one of the most deadly of sins. Choose for yourself which way you wish to go and instead of waiting on anyone else to raise them and lead them for you.
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