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- Newsgroups: misc.kids
- Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!asuvax!ennews!anasaz!mary
- From: mary@anasazi.com (Mary Curtis)
- Subject: Re: What we did and what we want them to do <was Re: Potheads>
- Organization: Anasazi, Inc. Phoenix, Arizona USA
- Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:14:29 GMT
- Message-ID: <1993Jan25.191429.3113@anasazi.com>
- References: <1993Jan16.004708.28745@reed.edu> <1267@elan.Elan.COM> <1993Jan24.071619.1836@reed.edu>
- Sender: usenet@anasazi.com (Usenet News)
- Lines: 35
-
-
- Carol asks what other parents of teens did to keep their children from
- riding with intoxicated or otherwise dangerous drivers. Here's what
- my folks did -
-
- They gave me the car. I drove my friends everywhere. But, I knew
- that if I was ever caught with the slightest hint of alcohol on my
- breath not only would I never drive the car again, I would not be let
- out of the house except for school again.
-
- I'm serious, I knew they were serious, not a single doubt. Before
- the term designated driver was popular, that's what I was. I didn't
- even taste alcohol at parties. I helped a lot of drunk/sick friends
- out in those days and thought boy, this sure is "fun" puking all over
- the place, feeling dizzy, passing out.
-
- I had a steady boyfriend in high school who was two years older than
- I. I don't remember the talk they gave him or when it was, but he
- knew for a fact that they would never let him date me again if he
- drank and then drove me around. He believed them and cared enough
- about me he wasn't willing to take the chance.
-
- Two comments. This only works if the child, like me, has the utmost
- respect for the parents' authority and the knowledge that the
- punishment would be followed through. And, yes I did eventually have
- some drunks, I was away at college then. I went to school in a
- typical small college town (any Univ Wisc River Falls people out
- there?) and we could walk to bars and crawl home if necessary. I was
- mature enough by college to realize the danger drinking and driving
- could create and glad my parents had taught me well.
-
- It's a tough subject and just like with baby problems, what works for
- one child/teen won't necessarily work for another. Good luck!
-
- Mary Curtis
-