Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions parents have about how to keep their teen-aged children safe from alcohol and drug use. Click each link to watch a video on each topic with adolescent substance abuse expert Dr. John Knight.

How do I keep my kid safe at the after-prom party?

But- I want to be a cool parent

Doesn’t my teen need to drink to be popular?

Should I lock up the alcohol at home?

Should I let my kid hang out at the park?

Is it OK to let my teen have a sip of a drink?

How do I handle my teen going to a sleepover?

I hear kids are bringing alcohol in water bottles…

Is it OK to search my kid’s room?

What do I do when my teen comes home drunk?

Question

My son came home the other night – it was obvious he’d been drinking. He was staggering around, he was throwing up. How do I handle this? It’s a sensitive subject. How do I talk to him and when do I talk to him?

Answer

• Don’t talk to them the night they are drunk.

• Make sure they are safe – not sleeping on their back.

• Talk the next day.

• Nobody likes vomiting – use that as a way to open the conversation.

• Get a health care professional involved.