and very influential! We are also now hearing about young people 'pre-loading' to save money. This involves quickly drinking large amounts of alcohol at home before heading out. Often they are already intoxicated before they walk out the front door. The problem with pre-loading is that it is high risk and by the time they get to where they are going their judgment is clouded by alcohol, causing them to drink more than they intended to, so they don't save money in the end anyway. Your job as a parent is to get your children to recognise and respect the risks associated with harmful, irresponsible drinking . Unfortunately, it sounds easier than it is. But here are some tips to help get you started. Avoid people and places that will have a negative impact on your developing child's attitude Encourage non-alcoholic family gatherings Educate and communicate. Talk to your child about alcohol intoxication and the dangers of binge drinking in particular. Explain the importance of adults 'drinking responsibly' and don't be afraid to answer their questions. Provide positive norms. Don't be afraid to challenge social myths about binge drinking . Most young people don't drink in this way. If your child sees a news story that states that 'two out of every ten Australian teenagers binge drink', it's up to you to turn it around and point out that eight out of ten don't! Find out what is going on. If your child really believes that getting drunk every weekend