Helping your teen stay safe is a critical part of parenting. Despite the myth that drinking is a rite of passage, you do have influence. There's a lot you can do to help your teen make good decisions.

Delay your teenager’s introduction to alcohol as long as possible and if you do supply alcohol, only supply small amounts.  Be a good role model around your kids - either don't drink alcohol or drink only small amounts. Build a good relationship with your teen and keep the line of communication open.

It’s also important to be aware of the key factors that influence a teen’s decision to drink. These include:

• Truancy and poor educational achievement/ school relationships

• Early introduction to alcohol

• Exposure to adult binge drinking or alcoholism

• Access to alcohol from parents and others

• Alcohol marketing

• New Zealand's drinking culture

• Having money to spend

• Conflict or bullying

• Long periods of unsupervised time

• Friends who drink heavily

To find out more about how to help your teen delay drinking take a look at the rest of our online resources. We've also attached a helpful guide for download below which includes a range of strategies to put in place to keep your kids safe around alcohol.