Underage Drinking

Underage drinking although not on the rise, poses a threat in every town. Often the police are called to a house were the parent have gone away leaving their children at home. Usually the kids invite over one or two friends and next thing you know the whole school is at their house. There may be no alcohol in the house but the uninvited guests bring it over, and then the problems begin.

Parents need to take precautions. It isn’t enough to say that you’ll never leave your kids home alone, or that your kids would never have a party without your permission. Parents need to know where their kids are going to be especially on weekend nights. If your teenager tells you he/she is going to a party, check to see if the parents are going to be home, and make sure that there will be no alcohol present. If you are going out for the night and leaving your teenagers at home, call once or twice to make sure all is well.

The majority of the house party calls the police are sent to are homes where the teens are left unsupervised for an evening or an entire weekend. The consequences can be felt by all. The homeowners can be held responsible if alcohol was served to minors. Any person under the age of twenty-one caught drinking alcohol will face severe fines, and criminal prosecution. In the past the police have been called to house parties where medical treatment was needed. Every year teens in Sharon are transported by ambulance to the hospital due to the large quantity of alcohol they consumed.

Talk to your kids, start the New Year off right. Emphasize the dangers of drinking and driving. Remind your kids about the consequences they face if caught with alcohol. Find out whom your children are going out with, where they are going, how they are getting there, and when they are coming home.

Parental supervision combined with police action isn’t always enough to stop under-age drinking, but it’s certainly a start.Underage drinking although not on the rise, poses a threat in every town. Often the police are called to a house were the parent have gone away leaving their children at home. Usually the kids invite over one or two friends and next thing you know the whole school is at their house. There may be no alcohol in the house but the uninvited guests bring it over, and then the problems begin.

Parents need to take precautions. It isn’t enough to say that you’ll never leave your kids home alone, or that your kids would never have a party without your permission. Parents need to know where their kids are going to be especially on weekend nights. If your teenager tells you he/she is going to a party, check to see if the parents are going to be home, and make sure that there will be no alcohol present. If you are going out for the night and leaving your teenagers at home, call once or twice to make sure all is well.

The majority of the house party calls the police are sent to are homes where the teens are left unsupervised for an evening or an entire weekend. The consequences can be felt by all. The homeowners can be held responsible if alcohol was served to minors. Any person under the age of twenty-one caught drinking alcohol will face severe fines, and criminal prosecution. In the past the police have been called to house parties where medical treatment was needed. Every year teens in Sharon are transported by ambulance to the hospital due to the large quantity of alcohol they consumed.

Talk to your kids, start the New Year off right. Emphasize the dangers of drinking and driving. Remind your kids about the consequences they face if caught with alcohol. Find out whom your children are going out with, where they are going, how they are getting there, and when they are coming home.

Parental supervision combined with police action isn’t always enough to stop under-age drinking, but it’s certainly a start.