Talk to your kids about drinking

Prom and graduation season is too often a time of alcohol-related tragedy. But here's the good news: According to Laura Dean-Mooney, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 74% of teens say parents are their No. 1 influence in their decisions about alcohol.

A new program from MADD called Power of Parents includes a handbook and online component to help start the conversation about teen drinking. Dean-Mooney shares a few tips to keep in mind when starting the conversation about alcohol:

Don't be afraid.

“Sometimes parents are hesitant to talk because they used alcohol underage,” Dean-Mooney says. But it's important to let your kids know that while you might have had a history with underage drinking, that doesn't make it right. You can be honest about your use of alcohol, but make sure to reinforce that we didn't know as much about underage drinking then as we do now.

It's a two-way street.

Dean-Mooney says it's important to get your message across, but make sure you're listening to your teenager and letting him have his say, as well.

There's no “right time.”

Says Dean-Mooney, “Anytime is a good time to talk to your kid about alcohol.” She suggests starting early, around the fourth or fifth grade, and she adds that the conversation can happen anywhere: “Even sitting down to have dinner can be an opportunity.”

Practice what you preach.

As an adult, you are entitled to a glass of wine every once in while. But as a parent, you have the responsibility to set an example when it comes to alcohol. So if you do choose to have a drink with dinner, make sure your teens know you won't be driving.

Let your actions speak, too.

Words are only part of the equation; the conversation doesn't end when your child leaves the house. Make sure that you let her know you will be monitoring where she is and whom she's with and that you'll be in touch with other parents. “Let them know you want them to be safe and healthy,” Dean-Mooney says.