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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41 minutes ago
ParentsEmpowered.org

Remind your kids often that you love and care about them.❤️

Regular words of affirmations and encouragements can help strengthen the bond between you and your child. This will make them feel comfortable talking to you about anything. Developing a strong bond with your child has shown to help them avoid underage drinking.

🔗Check out our list of 40 phrases to praise your child: bit.ly/3E4m3Pm

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Fall is officially here! 🍂 This means we can start layering up and finding ways to stay cozy. ☕ Here are 9 cozy recipes you and your kids will enjoy making this fall. This is a great opportunity for you to strengthen your relationship with your kids and find out what is happening in their lives. Kids who have a strong relationship with their parents are less likely to underage drink.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #Autumn
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Here is another reminder that underage drinking is NOT harmless!🙅‍♀️

Underage drinking comes with a long list of negative consequences, with both immediate and long-term effects.

🔗To learn more about the effects of underage drinking, click here: parentsempowered.org/why/behavior/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Here is another reminder that underage drinking is NOT harmless!🙅‍♀️

Underage drinking comes with a long list of negative consequences, with both immediate and long-term effects. 

🔗To learn more about the effects of underage drinking, click here: https://parentsempowered.org/why/behavior/ 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! Celebrate Hispanic culture, achievements, and contributions with your teens. From trying new recipes to attending local events, there are many ways to learn more about this incredible heritage. Plus, spending quality time together can lower your teen’s chance of alcohol use.

9.5% of Hispanics develop alcohol dependence in their lifetime, 33% of them experience persistent problems.

🔗Visit this link to read more: bit.ly/44cpoXm

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #HispanicHeritageMonth
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Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! Celebrate Hispanic culture, achievements, and contributions with your teens. From trying new recipes to attending local events, there are many ways to learn more about this incredible heritage. Plus, spending quality time together can lower your teen’s chance of alcohol use. 

9.5% of Hispanics develop alcohol dependence in their lifetime, 33% of them experience persistent problems.

🔗Visit this link to read more: https://bit.ly/44cpoXm

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #HispanicHeritageMonth

Watch out for signs of excess stress or depression in your teen. Stress and depression can lead teens to turn to alcohol to cope. As a parent, if you notice any sudden changes in behavior, help your kid find healthy ways to cope. Taking time to listen to your teen’s concerns can do wonders in preventing underage drinking.❤️

🔗Learn more about what you can do here: parentsempowered.org/how/check-in/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Watch out for signs of excess stress or depression in your teen. Stress and depression can lead teens to turn to alcohol to cope. As a parent, if you notice any sudden changes in behavior, help your kid find healthy ways to cope. Taking time to listen to your teen’s concerns can do wonders in preventing underage drinking.❤️

🔗Learn more about what you can do here: https://parentsempowered.org/how/check-in/ 
 
#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

We greatly appreciate and respect every hardworking individual across all industries. You are what keeps the world turning. 🌎

Enjoy #LaborDay by taking your children and family out to do something enjoyable together. Studies show that the more quality time you spend with your children, the less likely they are to indulge in underage drinking.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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We greatly appreciate and respect every hardworking individual across all industries. You are what keeps the world turning. 🌎 

Enjoy #LaborDay by taking your children and family out to do something enjoyable together. Studies show that the more quality time you spend with your children, the less likely they are to indulge in underage drinking.
 
 #ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

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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