Parents

When enjoyed in moderation, alcohol can form part of a healthy lifestyle that includes good diet and exercise. On the other hand, excessive drinking can have harmful effects on your health. Many Australians enjoy having a drink, but not a lot of people realise how alcohol can affect their physical health.

Alcohol poisoning is extremely dangerous and, in some cases, can lead to death without prompt medical treatment.

You know what’s great to hear? Most Australian parents (89%) aren’t supplying their underage teenagers with alcohol and the majority of underage teenagers in Australia are choosing not to drink alcohol (69%).

The DrinkWise Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Program aims to create greater awareness among Australians that FASD is 100% preventable.

This campaign was seen as the first step towards creating generational change in attitudes towards alcohol across Australia. And to promote a safer and more responsible drinking culture.

Give your baby the best possible start and avoid the risks of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, you should not drink alcohol. If you are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for your baby.

The Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol are produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The guidelines can help you to make informed choices about your consumption if you choose to drink.

Positive guidance. It's one of the greatest powers parents have. And as your child's number one role model, it's up to you to shape their perception of right and wrong. So remember, the decisions you make really do have an impact on your children.

Peer pressure can be a positive influence. It can also lead teens to doing things they wouldn't usually, or stop them from doing something they would like to do. It can challenge their view of what's right and what's wrong.

For some parents, the question of when to introduce their child to alcohol is a major decision. Pre-teens may begin to show interest in alcohol and ask to try your drink – but should you let them?

For some parents, talking to your teenager about alcohol and setting rules and boundaries to keep them safe can be daunting. The majority of parents feel that it's their responsibility to create strategies and educate their children on when, where and how to drink, whilst many parents struggle with how to provide advice.

Kids are interested in what's going on around them – seeing how their role models use alcohol is part of this.

Many teens feel the pressure to conform to peer expectations around alcohol at parties, but parents are feeling pressure too.

Teenagers are drinking alcohol at a younger age and at riskier levels.

Before you make a decision about letting your child consume alcohol before the legal drinking age, it's important to have the facts.