Reducing underage drinking and the problems it can cause for teens is something most parents have thought about at one time or another. Whether you’ve caught your teen drinking or suspect his peer group has access to alcohol, it is your responsibility to consider what might happen if your teen is harmed. While Shoulder to Shoulder suggests that parents always talk with their teen before the situation becomes serious, we also know that unexpected things can happen. One of the ways teens report getting alcohol is through adult providers like their friends’ parents or store-owners. In Minnesota there are laws to stop adults from providing alcohol to kids. One expands civil liability and the other increases criminal penalties for adult providers.

How might knowing about these laws be helpful as you parent your teenager?

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Many parents and concerned citizens are asking why. Why do bad things happen to good kids? Why do teens, who were raised by caring parents, participate in senseless and sometimes violent behavior? Recent brain research may hold some answers to these questions. Scientists have found that critical brain growth isn’t completed until the mid-twenties. The part of the brain that helps us anticipate the consequences of our decisions, the pre-frontal cortex, takes longer to mature than the rest of the brain. The pre-frontal cortex helps curb impulses, serves as an emotional brake and contributes to logical reasoning. In a sense, the teenage brain is like a full-throttle engine without a driver. Parents of teens and young adults need to see themselves as their kid’s “pre-frontal cortex.” Parents can help their teen make better decisions by anticipating situations -- by discussing ahead of time possible outcomes.

How might understanding adolescent brain development affect how you parent your teen?

You may want to read the full article.