Have a Power Talk with Teens April 21

Three out of four youth say their parents are the No. 1 influence on their decisions about drinking. To encourage discussions about alcohol use between parents and youth, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has launched PowerTalk 21 day, which will be observed on April 21. It's the first national day for parents and teens to start a conversation about alcohol. Tips on how to do it and what you might say are in a free handout and handbook.

Encourage parents in your coalition and in your community to visit madd.org/powerofparents to request a free copy of MADD’s parent handbook, a research-based program developed for MADD’s "Power of Parents, It's Your Influence" program that has been shown to significantly reduce underage drinking and associated risks when parents use it to talk with their teens about alcohol.

While parents will vary in how they handle the details of the PowerTalk 21 discussion, the best policy, MADD says, is to get teens to agree to:

• No drinking before age 21.

• No socializing in places where teens are drinking.

• No riding in a car with an underage driver who's had any amount of alcohol.

Here are some ways you can engage parents in your coalition and community around PowerTalk 21 day:

1.) Declare PowerTalk 21, April 21, the day your coalition, community, and family will focus on talking about alcohol.

2.) Distribute electronic or printed copies of the PowerTalk 21 handout with conversation starters about alcohol for teens and parents.

3.) Refer people to the parent handbook.

4.) Gather parents and contact your local MADD affiliate to facilitate a free, 30-minute parent workshop where parents will receive a free parent handbook. Visit madd.org to find a local affiliate.

5.) Learn about how you can implement MADD’s parent program, Power of Parents, in your community. Contact MADD for information on facilitator trainings 1-800-GET-MADD.