Post: Explaining Lindsay Lohan
Explaining Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan's in rehab. How do you explain this to your daughter who idolizes her?
Y'know, sometimes when your kid sees her role model act badly, you get a chance to put in your two cents. You can start by explaining the facts about underage drinking: The earlier that kids start drinking and doing drugs, the higher the incidence of alcoholism. And the more alcohol ads kids see, the more they drink.
Think your kids are too young for this kind of discussion? Think again. the average age 12- to 17-year-olds say they first tried alcohol is 12.8.
Eighty-one percent of 12th graders, 70 percent of 10th graders, and 53 percent of 8th graders have tried drinking at least once (all higher percentages than those who've smoked cigarettes!). And three-quarters of 8th graders say it's fairly easy to get alcohol. No wonder alcohol is the #1 substance used in middle and high school.
For advice on how to turn a news event into a teachable moment, click here.