Spread the Word
Don’t worry—you are not the only parent in Vermont who has concerns about underage drinking. It is important for you to get to know the parents of your child’s friends. Know the rules and expectations they put on their children, and share yours with them. Be clear that you are against underage drinking and will not give alcohol to minors.
For a printable copy of this information, see Spread the Word.
How to Connect with Other Parents
There are many ways for you to get to know other parents:- Make contact during school activities, such as sports events, concerts, parent nights, and drop offs and pick ups.
- Introduce yourself. Find out what you have in common, discuss the friendship your two children have with each other and make a point to touch base from time to time.
- Ask your children to introduce you to the parents of their friends.
- When dropping your child off at a friend’s home, go to the door and introduce yourself.
- Call parents who are hosting an event and ask if you can contribute by bringing food.
Visit our Coalitions page to contact your local coalition and get access to materials for parents, schools, hospital community education departments and other community organizations.
Bringing Up Underage Drinking
A discussion about underage drinking with other parents can start in a number of ways:- Casually mention in a conversation that underage drinking is one of the problems you worry about.
- Mention a commercial you saw about underage drinking and ask their opinion.
- Bring up a newspaper article you saw about an underage drinking incident and ask what they think.
Conversation Starters
Here are some ways you can bring up the conversation of underage drinking with other parents:- “Do you mind if I check in with you from time to time about our kids?”
- “I found out my child was drinking and I was wondering if your child may have been drinking, too. I wanted to say something because I would want to know if things were reversed.”
- “I’m worried that our kids may already be drinking. What can we do?”
- “I think my teen may be drinking, but it’s just a feeling, I don’t have any proof. Have you ever caught or heard about your teen drinking?”
- “I caught my teen drinking and I’m looking for some help. Have you ever dealt with this? What did you do?
For more tools and information, visit our Getting Help section.