Today I want to bring up a topic I have been pondering for some time now! Teens and Drinking, Adults and Drinking, and Alcoholism. Right now I am dealing with a close friend who is struggling with Alcoholism.
She is bright, energetic, kind, loving, funny, the list goes on, however, she is an Alcoholic. I did not know this about her for sometime. You see she is a fitness instructor, very strong, very healthy with her diet and overall you would have thought she had it all together.
After all, she was the one encouraging me and many others to be healthy and get healthy. Alcoholism is a terrible disease, that can strike all walks of life. It can destroy a life if no recovery is involved. Or it can give a person a new lease on life if they recognize it.
With all that being said, Mike and I talk about Alcohol and Drug use often with the boys. Mike and I are sociable drinkers. In fact I would say Mike is somewhat of a beer cynosure, it is his hobby to learn about different breweries and he loves to try new beers from different parts of the World. He does this in the most respectful way, and certainly is not a beer drinking guy everyday. It would get very expensive anyhow LOL, he is not Bud guy!
Now that the boys are getting older Alex more so, likes to ask Mike questions. Now we are very aware that Kids are peer pressured, and trying alcohol may be offered at some point. In fact some of my friends already let their kids taste their alcohol drinks. They feel this to be acceptable, and that it will deter their kids from wanting it later on. Mike and I feel the complete opposite.
For one it is against the LAW. Secondly, I thinks some kids may even like the taste, and acquire it early on. They may be curious to see what it makes them feel like if they drink enough. Let's just say I can go on and on, we are very much against that theory. However, I respect all opinions and feelings, and I do not judge what other Parents do.
I am here to take care of my own. One thing we drill in both the boys is, you never drink to get drunk! We talk about how horrible drinking and driving is as well, and how you can lose your life, or cause someone else to, if you make that horrible choice to do so. Alcohol is to be respected, and remember you can't fool it, it fools you. We are hoping all these heart to hearts, and leading a good example will lead them down the right path. Everyone knows someone who has alcohol or drug dependency problems.
We had the opportunity to go away one weekend to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. We love taking little road trips any time we can. Our first stop was UNC, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. It was incredible to see the grounds, the campus, and the fraternity houses. It was really cool, until we saw what had transpired the night before. That is when a real topic of conversation came up about drinking and lots of QUESTIONS where being asked. Let me share with you the Party that we saw the after math......
This is where all the Fraternity housing is........and apparently the night before there was this party....
Looked like it was for a good cause........cheap too!~
I was wondering how many kids fell off this building the night before
This was just the first scene we saw the after math
Looks like there was an attempt to clean up some time before passing out, let me mention, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse!
Not sure what exactly they where doing with these live chickens, the thought was scary!
The housing for these young Fraternity students was unbelievable....we told the boys they are dorming it!
Jack is finally going for a haircut tomorrow, he is getting tired of people saying he looks like Justine Bieber
Husband actually agreed to this picture on the cool bench
Each field of medicine has it's own campus, very nice!
We where not sure what this symbol meant, anyone know? That was our first tour....I will be sharing Duke later on.....Share your thoughts I would love to hear them.
So my QUESTION to you is how did you or do you handle this topic of under age drinking and out of control madness. What was your approach? I would really love all the advise and insight I can get on this topic. College looks scary to me these days, and we want to instill all the good we can in our boys to make the right decisions and choices they will face. Thanks
P.S.My boys are very good communicators so far, however,
with that being said, will I ever tell them what I have done in ,my past NOT!~ Both my husband and I are on the same page with that method of parenting!
They do not need to know. I have however, learned from many of my mistakes! Right MOM?? lol, Mom please do not disclose any information here........we will keep that between us!
