Sue Scheff: Drugs, Alcohol and Peer Pressure - Visit The Cool Spot

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. No matter what time of the year it is, talking to your kids about the dangers of alcoholism and drinking is critical. Just say no to drugs, but also say no to drinking. Parents are the anti-drug.

The Cool Spot is a place for teens and tweens to learn more about alcohol and resisting peer pressure. The Cool Spot was created for kids 11-13 years old by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The NIAAA is the lead U.S. agency supporting research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcohol problems. It is a component of the National Institutes of Health, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Peer pressure is a common thread when kids are trying to fit in. Most one to be part of a cool group, but at what cost?

  • Pressure is the feeling that you are being pushed toward making a certain choice-good or bad.
  • A peer is someone in your own age group.
  • Peer pressure is-you guessed it-the feeling that someone your own age is pushing you toward making a certain choice, good or bad.
On a positive note, peer pressure isn't all bad. There are good things about peer pressure too.

You and your friends can pressure each other into some things that will improve your health and social life and make you feel good about your decisions.

Think of a time when a friend pushed you to do something good for yourself or to avoid something that would've been bad.

Learn the facts about alcohol. When is too much, too soon or too risky? Visit The Cool Spot and encourage your kids to visit it and interact with the quizzes and valuable information.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier children. Read more.

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