Alcohol overdose and hazing can be prevented.
Parents, guardians, and trusted adults play a crucial role in the lives and decision-making of students.
- Educating youth on the signs of alcohol overdose can reduce risk of death.
- Encouraging students to learn about organizations before they join can reduce hazing experiences.
- Successful conversations with youth focus on openness, honesty, mutual respect, and trust.
Most parents talk with students about the dangers of drinking and driving, but far fewer discuss the lethal risks of drinking too much alcohol too quickly or the prevalence and risks of hazing. Teens and young adults are unlikely to initiate conversations on these topics, and it can be easy for parents and caregivers to avoid these uncomfortable topics. However, it’s worth noting that parental expectations and opinions do have an impact on student behaviors, both positively and negatively.
Be factual and straightforward about your expectations as well as your concerns. Youth want to talk with adults if the conversation is structured for openness, honesty, mutual respect, and trust. Focus more on strategies to protect health and safety and less on legal consequences.
The first discussion on a challenging issue is often the most difficult, so don’t try to cover every topic at once. Spreading out conversations on alcohol, hazing, and other safety issues will have a more long-lasting impact than one marathon session. Keep the focus on having a two-way discussion where your student gets to share their thoughts and ideas instead of a one-sided lecture. Sometimes the best question can be a simple, “What do you know about…?” and see where the conversation goes.
Discussion starters can include:
- Which types of groups or organizations have you thought about joining, and why?
- What do you know about the group you are joining? How can you find out more?
- What kinds of activities are required to join? Will it take away from academics? Is drinking involved?
- How comfortable are you with those activities, or the unknowns of the membership process?
- Will you promise to tell me if any activities cause you physical pain or emotional distress, even if the group swears you to secrecy?
Students want to feel like they worked hard to achieve the privilege of being part of a group, so how can parents and other adults provide guidance in choosing groups that don’t haze?
