Developing Brains

Underage drinking can harm developing brains. Keep your child’s future bright and let them know your rules about not drinking alcohol underage.

Magic Window

Kids start forming opinions about alcohol between the ages of 9-13. During that magic window, start the conversation and communicate your complete disapproval of underage drinking.

N-O Spells No

Now is the time! Let your kids know that you completely disapprove of underage drinking—to protect their healthy, developing brain.

Number 13

It’s never too late to start a conversation with your child about the harms of drinking alcohol underage.

Strong

It might seem young, but ages 9-13 are the magic numbers to start letting your kids know about your STRONG disapproval of underage drinking.

Today’s Number

Ages 9-13 are the magic numbers. Start an ongoing conversation with your kids about not drinking alcohol underage.

Start early

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends talking to kids about underage drinking as early as age 9.1 Research shows kids are making up their minds about alcohol between the ages of 9 to 13 and those perceptions can become more favorable as they mature. And if they view it as pleasurable, they’re much more likely to drink underage.2 If your child is older, it’s never too late to start the discussion.

All kids need a parent’s help to stay alcohol-free

As a parent, you can help keep kids’ brains healthy and their futures bright, free from the harms of alcohol.

Here’s how:

Know and teach the harms early

Research shows you should talk to your kids about alcohol as early as age 9.2

Teach the Harms

Have fun together

When you spend time in your child’s world, they’ll listen when you speak from yours.

Have Fun

Set clear no-alcohol rules

Have a chat tonight. Make your disapproval of underage drinking clear by setting rules against it.

Chat & Set Rules

Know what your kids are doing

Get involved in your child’s activities—ask the 5 Ws and know what’s going on.

Check In
Picture of kid with a backpack

Your influence is powerful

That’s the great news! Utah kids report the number one reason they choose not to drink is their parents’ strong disapproval.3

 

Picture of kid with a backpack

Why prevent underage drinking?

Because it protects a child’s future. Alcohol affects a young, still developing brain very differently than an adult’s brain, impairing proper development and increasing risks of addiction, depression, suicide, injury, violence, academic problems and more.4

Learn the Harms

How can I help prevent my kid from drinking underage?

Here are some suggestions that can help keep your child alcohol-free. Spend fun time together, set clear “no alcohol” rules and stay involved in your kid’s life.

Learn How

Resources

Get the tools and help you need to prevent underage drinking here—everything from conversation starters, podcasts, games to play, videos to watch and so much more.

Resources

Social media updates

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Last week, students at Eagle View Elementary assembled to unveil the “No Underage Drinking” basketballs that 5 of their students helped design. This was part of the “Soar Like an Eagle. Be Alcohol Free” campaign that encourages kids to have a conversation with a caretaker about alcohol. Parents are the number one reason that kids decide not to drink, so having these conversations is extremely important. #ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention See MoreSee Less

Last week, students at Eagle View Elementary assembled to unveil the “No Underage Drinking” basketballs that 5 of their students helped design. This was part of the “Soar Like an Eagle. Be Alcohol Free” campaign that encourages kids to have a conversation with a caretaker about alcohol. Parents are the number one reason that kids decide not to drink, so having these conversations is extremely important. #ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPreventionImage attachmentImage attachment

This month we shine a light on the AAPI community.❤️ We would like to showcase a few of the many AAPI-owned restaurants you and your family can check out together. Sharing a meal with your kids is the perfect opportunity to talk and catch up. Studies show that kids who regularly eat with their family are less likely to drink alcohol. Use this time to educate yourself and loved ones on ways the AAPI community has shaped our country.

🔗For more: bit.ly/2BBZ1A8

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #AAPIHeritageMonth
See MoreSee Less

This month we shine a light on the AAPI community.❤️ We would like to showcase a few of the many AAPI-owned restaurants you and your family can check out together. Sharing a meal with your kids is the perfect opportunity to talk and catch up. Studies show that kids who regularly eat with their family are less likely to drink alcohol. Use this time to educate yourself and loved ones on ways the AAPI community has shaped our country.

🔗For more: https://bit.ly/2BBZ1A8 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #AAPIHeritageMonth

Alcohol poisoning is a serious risk with underage drinking and can be deadly. Kids can consume dangerous amounts of alcohol without even realizing it. Be informed and have conversations with your kids about the risks of underage drinking.

🔗Read more here: bit.ly/3mgp75J

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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A child’s healthy brain is the key to their future. ⭐ Emerging evidence is showing that the effects of substances such as alcohol can be more permanent on the teenage brain. Compared to teens who do not drink alcohol, some teens that do drink alcohol show significantly smaller brain volumes and lower density within parts of the brain.

🔗Read here for more information: bit.ly/3ziJKRO

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
See MoreSee Less

A childs healthy brain is the key to their future. ⭐ Emerging evidence is showing that the effects of substances such as alcohol can be more permanent on the teenage brain. Compared to teens who do not drink alcohol, some teens that do drink alcohol show significantly smaller brain volumes and lower density within parts of the brain. 

🔗Read here for more information: https://bit.ly/3ziJKRO

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Shout out to our Mother, Earth. 🌎 Spend today outdoors and give back to our planet. You can organize/join a neighborhood clean-up, go on a nature walk, start a garden, and more. Bring your kids along with you! This is a great opportunity to spend quality time with your kids and open a space for conversations. Kids who spend quality time with their parents are less likely to drink underage.

🔗For more ways to celebrate Earth Day click here: bit.ly/3KjAgMy

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #EarthDay
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In the News

Underage drinking can be a serious threat to our children and communities. Learn about the latest research and efforts to prevent it.

ABC4 David Wakins TV Coverage

Fox13 SeaQuest Coverage

KUTV Springbreak Takeover

KUTV Alcohol Awareness Month

Fresh Living TV Coverage

DABC TV Coverage

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About Us

Our goal is to eliminate underage drinking in Utah. We do that by empowering parents to use the tremendous influence they have to keep their children alcohol-free.

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Our Partners

The Parents Empowered Mission

Meet Tiffany Clason. She’s the Executive Director at the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS). But she’s also a mom. She knows that parents staying involved and having those important “no underage drinking” conversations are crucial to a child’s future success.

Sources

1 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
2 https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/e718

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3 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37591/

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