Movies Influence Your Teenager More Than You Do When It Comes to This Bad Behavior

on February 21, 2012 at 11:32 PM

bottles Seems like every other day we hear the results of some new study about teens and drinking. They're drinking more! They're drinking less! They're drinking at home! They're drinking at school! They're drinking top shelf vodka! They're pounding shots of mouthwash!

As a mom, at a certain point I kind of started tuning it all out, for sanity's sake. How are we supposed to sift through all these contradictions to find the truth? But the latest research definitely got my attention: Apparently exposure to alcohol consumption in movies is a bigger risk for teen drinking than having parents who drink regularly or having an easily accessible liquor cabinet at home.

Seriously?! How can this possibly be?

According to conventional parenting wisdom, this theory makes no sense at all. Our influence is supposed to trump that of the media and/or our kids' peers, assuming we actually manage to exert a positive influence.

But then it occurred to me: Maybe kids who are unduly influenced by some random star drinking whiskey from the bottle on the big screen are not, in fact, being sufficiently influenced by their parents.

Maybe it's not enough to curb our own alcohol consumption or lock up the gin. Maybe we have to make a point of addressing alcohol use/abuse whenever it comes up, no matter how casually.

Maybe, as with most things, we have to make a point of talking about this issue with our kids on a regular basis.

Like, "So, do you think Ryan Gosling is drinking a lot of beer in this movie? What do you think would happen in real life if somebody drank that much beer?"

If setting a good example isn't enough to stop kids from abusing alcohol, good communication must be the missing piece.

At least I hope so, because I'm running out of ideas.

What do you think about the research indicating alcohol use in movies has a stronger influence on teens than alcohol use at home?

Image via Quinn Dombrowski/Flickr

About the author Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance!

Filed Under: addiction, behavior, drugs & alcohol, family

Comments (4)

atmartin06

on Feb 22, 2012 at 6:29 AM

That actually makes perfect sense. To kids, anything their parents do is lame and anything movie stars do is cool.

Report this comment

Nonmember comment from AI

on Feb 22, 2012 at 8:01 AM

Part if this could be that kids in households where at least one parent is a regular drinker and alcohol is easy to access (with or without permission) don't see it as "forbidden". Where's the excitement in opening the fridge in your own kitchen and snagging a beer if your patents don't mind or notice? But one you make it inaccessible they suddenly want it. Why? Because half the fun of drinking underage is devising a plot to get the alcohol -as many Hollywood movies suggest. Take away the risk and it becomes less fun.

RhondaVeggie

on Feb 22, 2012 at 8:14 AM

Compare drinking in the movies to drinking in the home. Usually when kids see their parents drinking at home they are having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer in the evening while watching TV. Responsible and sensible, not exactly tempting to your average teen. Compare that with drinking in the movies, especially the kind of movies that appeal to your average teen. They drink a lot and wind up having all kinds of fun, usually involving canoodling with hot people of the opposite sex. Of course teens are more influenced by that.

EquestrianMom

on Feb 22, 2012 at 8:26 AM

Yup, what the above poster said! For me personally, I knew my parents drank on social occasions, I even got to have the occasional glass of (GROSS!) red wine at holidays. But the real clincher that has always held me back from becoming a true drinker myself (and beleive me, it was possible!) was having an alcoholic uncle, and also having very graphic knowledge of what it does to your body. See, my dad was a biologist. Not only did we discuss the liver damage, brain damage, kidney failure, and other issues that crop up with chronic drinking, he got me pictures, studies, medical books showing me visually how it would flat out trash my body. Oh, and how it damamged those around you, which I got to see first hand with my uncle.

Two beers, fine. Getting a little buzz at a party? Fine. HAving a six pack everynight? YEah, no.