This might include relatives, close friends or the parents of your teenager's friends. Try to keep up with what is going on in your teenager's life. Get to know their friends and make sure you know where your teenager is. That doesn't mean you need to follow them around or try to be part of their circle of friends. They need privacy too.
Some young people use alcohol to try to blot out problems they are having.
Teenagers need to learn positive skills to deal with stress, frustration and conflict. If your family has a history of alcoholism, then there is an increased risk that your teenager may become dependent on alcohol. It is important that you tell your teenager this and encourage them to take extra care with their drinking. There is no 'right' time to introduce your child to alcohol. Although we hear stories about the French introducing their children to alcohol very early on, research shows that the younger a person starts drinking the more likely they are to run into problems.