Before proceeding to read the contents of
this article, I kindly request everybody to keep an open mind as the article
contains scientific and opinioned excerpts on alcoholism and underage drinking,
which is not exactly black and white areas; they are differently seen upon by
different people; some approve while others may not.
We live at a time and age where our
parents lean towards friend figures as opposed to the pressure of ethical
behavior. Our parents are more up-to-date in terms of fashion, music, movies
and everything else in general. We are able to watch an intimate scene in a
movie with our folks and not cringe as much as we did before. We can easily
pull off wearing a skirt somewhat shorter than we were allowed to wear before,
simply because our parents are quickly learning and adapting to the new age,
and I must say, we don’t give them enough credit. Parents everywhere, you are
awesome!
One thing that I’ve noticed children do
with their parents now is alcohol consumption.
Up to a certain point, I applaud these parents who keep an open mind and
share these vivid experiences with their kids. However, the age of alcohol
introduction is somewhat disturbing. The legal drinking age in most states is
17 years old, and a lot of children below that age are already introduced to
alcohol (they may be introduced by the community outside their homes, but this
blog specifically discusses home-based alcohol consumption).
Yes, some scientific reasoning have found
that introducing alcohol at an early age discloses several advantages such as being
more connected to your children, encompassing confidence in your child (they
sense the trust infiltrated by parents in them) and a way of harm-minimisation
(a term used to describe letting children drink small amounts of alcohol under
supervision before they let loose elsewhere).
However, many studies have been conducted
over the past few years, which will be enclosed in the following paragraphs:
International data suggests introducing alcohol to
teenagers isn’t a way to protect them. Indicating that the earlier a
child is introduced to alcohol, the more likely they are to develop problems
with alcohol later in life (National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse,
2002).
Scientists
currently are examining just how alcohol affects the developing brain, but it’s
a difficult task. Subtle changes in the brain may be difficult to detect but
still have a significant impact on long-term thinking and memory skills. Add to
this the fact that adolescent brains are still maturing, and the study of
alcohol’s effects becomes even more complex.
Elevated liver
enzymes, indicating some degree of liver damage, have been found in some
adolescents who drink alcohol. Young drinkers who are overweight or obese
showed elevated liver enzymes even with only moderate levels of drinking.
In both males and females, puberty is a
period associated with marked hormonal changes, including increases in the sex
hormones, estrogen and testosterone. These hormones, in turn, increase
production of other hormones and growth factors, which are vital for normal
organ development. Drinking alcohol during this period of rapid growth and
development (prior to or during puberty) may upset the critical hormonal
balance necessary for normal development of organs, muscles, and bones. Studies
in animals also show that consuming alcohol during puberty adversely affects
the maturation of the reproductive system.
Obviously, this is not a petition to stop
alcohol. This is a mere reminder that anything taken in excess will be of harm
to the adolescent body. Can we stop growing children from drinking alcohol? Absolutely
not, but we can prevent them from binge-drinking.
There are much better ways to introduce
alcohol to your children other than making them take sips regularly;
▪
choose a time when you are both relaxed rather than lecturing
them when they aren’t in the right mood
▪
tailor the content and language to your own child and ask
questions to make sure that they understand what you are saying
▪
explain the specific harms of alcohol use while their brain is
still developing
▪
cover themes such as the positive and negative aspects of
alcohol use
▪
encourage them to talk about their own perceptions and
assumptions and correct any misconceptions
▪
communicate your expectations about their alcohol consumption
Trust me enough to know
that when the time is right, your kid is probably going to know more about
alcohol from their social surroundings ;)
Until them, hope this helps
xx
No comments:
Post a Comment