RESPONSE TO MOTHERLODE :: ADDRESSING TEENAGE DRINKING

Recently, Motherlode, a NYTimes blog on parenting, posted this article: How Parents Handle Teenage Drinking. I was invited to respond. Mike Winerip selected the most interesting and useful responses to facilitate the conversation and my comment was chosen.

I’m relieved and pleased that attention is being paid to the topic of teen drinking. Forums like this one are a great place to join in the conversation. It is rare that public dialogue permits the validity of multiple perspectives even though it is often the best way for parents to feel more informed. We need to remember that ‘Just Say No’ is a myth and that talking with one another is important.