Monday, January 30, 2006
Arrive Alive
According to various studies (here, here) underage drinking is the major cause of death in 15 to 20 year olds in the U.S.
Every parent's nightmare is to bury a son or daughter. And these days, I hear all too often about teens involved in fatal car crashes. In north Fulton County Georgia (northern Atlanta suburbs) where I live, not a week goes by I don't hear about teens being killed in auto accidents. Usually alcohol and/or racing is involved. Last year, my 17 year old daughter had two friends killed in separate automobile accidents: one involving alchohol, the other racing.
Saturday night at 2am, I got a call from my teenage daughter. She was at a party (another teen's parents were out of town - party time). There was lots of alcohol and her ride had left her. She called me and said, "Dad, can you come pick me up? Everyone has been drinking and I'm afraid to ride with any of them." I got directions and headed out to pick her up.
HURRAY! All those talks about drinking and driving and calling home with no questions asked paid off. I picked her up and queried not once about the whole ordeal. I just told her she had done the right thing and I was proud of her for it. Way to go daughter of mine! If you have a teenage son or daughter and you haven't had the conversation - do it.
Every parent's nightmare is to bury a son or daughter. And these days, I hear all too often about teens involved in fatal car crashes. In north Fulton County Georgia (northern Atlanta suburbs) where I live, not a week goes by I don't hear about teens being killed in auto accidents. Usually alcohol and/or racing is involved. Last year, my 17 year old daughter had two friends killed in separate automobile accidents: one involving alchohol, the other racing.
Saturday night at 2am, I got a call from my teenage daughter. She was at a party (another teen's parents were out of town - party time). There was lots of alcohol and her ride had left her. She called me and said, "Dad, can you come pick me up? Everyone has been drinking and I'm afraid to ride with any of them." I got directions and headed out to pick her up.
HURRAY! All those talks about drinking and driving and calling home with no questions asked paid off. I picked her up and queried not once about the whole ordeal. I just told her she had done the right thing and I was proud of her for it. Way to go daughter of mine! If you have a teenage son or daughter and you haven't had the conversation - do it.
