How to Talk to Your Younger Kids About Underage Drinking #GrabTheGoodies

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Have you discussed underage drinking with your young kids? As the mother of an 18-year-old, I know how important it is to lay a good foundation. We have discussed drinking alcohol with our kids since they were very young. You may think you have many years before you need to have that talk, but the years go by quickly.

Why Start Discussing Alcohol Early?

I have already seen how our early start to alcohol education has influenced my now 18-year-old college son. He has made some very wise choices. When he was young, we discussed drinking responsibly with him in several ways.

• When we would have a drink, we discussed how we were drinking responsibly.
  • We would drink at home so we wouldn’t have to drive.
  • Mom would have a drink when we are out at a restaurant, but Dad wouldn’t because he has to drive.
• When we would see commercials or people drinking on TV or in a movie.
• When they would ask questions about alcohol.
• When the D.A.R.E. program at school taught the about alcohol.

Having the continuous conversation with him early and throughout middle and high school made an impact on him. We had the discussion more when we knew he would be faced with peer pressure as he became a teen. Now that he is an adult, we still have the discussion. It hasn’t ended. I have 3 more kids behind him and the discussion is a continuous one. It is part of living a healthy lifestyle.

Grab the Goodies Game

But, as parents we all know that any help we can get reinforcing the lessons we are teaching our kids is welcome! That’s where the Grab the Goodies app comes in. The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is adding something new to the Ask Listen Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program to help parents!

Grab the Goodies is an educational game available for free from iTunes and Google Play. The game teaches kids what you need to live a healthy lifestyle and at the same time brings up the underage drinking issues. It should spark some interesting conversations in your house.

I’ve played the game the last few weeks and had my kids try it out. My younger kids are 10 and 11 and the game was good for a while, but didn’t hold their attention for long. (I didn’t attempt to ask my 15-year-old to play it.) They said the game needs a goal, something to reach. They did have fun with the questions, however, some of the questions were difficult for me to answer and I wasn’t sure how they helped further the discussion on underage drinking and healthy lifestyles.

I felt the Grab the Goodies game is geared towards very young kids, but the questions were geared towards older kids. While, the game may not have kept my kids interest for long, it did spark some good conversations which in the end, I believe is the goal of the game. I do think it’s worth a download and giving your kids a chance to try it out. Play it with them and talk about the game and the questions.

More Information About Underage Drinking For Parents

• For more information, visit the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility and get helpful tips and materials for starting open conversations with your kids about alcohol from their Ask, Listen, Learn
• Twitter: @GoFAAR @AskListenLearn Use the hashtag #GrabTheGoodies
• Facebook: GoFAAR & Ask Listen Learn
• YouTube: GoFAAR
• Instagram: Ask Listen Learn
• Pinterest: Ask Listen Learn board on GoFAAR

Disclosure: I was compensated by FAAR for the time spent reviewing and writing about the app. All opinions are my own.

What’s Next?

Download Grab the Goodies for free from iTunes and Google Play. What type of discussions did the game spark with your kids/