- Parents Empowered offers tools to help parents plan alcohol-free summer activities.
- Alysa Stuart, Salt Lake County Health Department Substance Use Prevention Program manager, emphasizes early conversations to prevent alcohol dependency in developing brains.
- Josh Eldridge shares his experience with his children, stressing consistent messaging and setting clear expectations.
SALT LAKE CITY — Once school is out, kids are anxious to dive into some summer fun.
Some parents might be feeling overwhelmed about keeping their kids busy this summer and away from alcohol. Parents don't have to go at it alone this summer.
Parents Empowered is helping parents plan alcohol-free activities and giving parents the tools to have conversations that could protect their kids' still-developing brains.
That window between ages 9 and 13 is critical. It's when kids start forming their views on alcohol.
"The developing brain, the chances increase pretty drastically the earlier that they start drinking," said Alysa Stuart, Salt Lake County Health Department Substance Use Prevention Program manager. "So we want them to have these conversations young, because even trying alcohol increases the rate of alcohol dependency the older they get."
Josh Eldridge has two sons, a 15-year-old and a 19-year-old, and a 23-year-old daughter. He started those talks early on.
"As they were getting a little older and starting to go to elementary school, there's programs at elementary school that talk about it."
Eldridge said he wanted to make sure he didn't give his kids mixed signals about alcohol.
"You're not going to hand your kid a cigarette and say, 'OK, just one puff isn't going to hurt you.'"
That stuck with his 19-year-old son, Ronin Eldridge. In high school, he stayed away from alcohol. But now that he's older, it's more accessible.
"One party I went to, I declined politely. Everyone around me, you know, was doing their thing, drinking, just not for me," he said. "So I knew, learned at a young age, not the expectations set on me."
That kind of preparation starts with a plan. Parents Empowered has a free tool to help this summer.
"Yeah, so you go to the website, and they have a personality quiz. There's four different types of personalities that you may have as a parent," said Stuart.
Then you learn your parenting style and superpower.
"So, like my superpower is that we're flexible, and we create more of that time with our kids," said Stuart.
And there are tips for talking to your kids before summer temptations show up.
Josh Eldridge said the rest is up to them.
"Most of my friends were more of, let's go have a plan. Let's go to Topgolf. Let's go, you know, let's go hang out," said Ronin Eldridge.
Josh Eldridge adds it's important that your kids know you love them, no matter what choices they make.
"But make sure they understand what your expectations are, and then you know, give them the freedom to go out and make some decisions and grow."
You can take that personality quiz and work with your child on creating your summer bucket list here.
