The questions many parents dread begin as early as middle school: Did you do drugs when you were in school? Did you drink when you were a teenager?
Parents’ natural reaction is often to clam up and try to hide youthful misdeeds. But there are ways to use stories about your own underage drinking, reckless driving or drug use to teach teens important lessons about health and safety. It requires listening carefully to what teens are asking and staying focused on what they need at the time.