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Show 1 Casey Crane, left, and Rob Shepherd, middle, both 13 years old, explain their scale model solar greenhouse which took second place to a UP&L representative. The companv awarded the two Salina boys $75, Alcoholism Taught by Parents Are we teaching our kids to become alcoholics? The question is startling but frigteningly relevant in light of the fact that 143 million Americans suffer from' alcohol abuse. The father who heads for the martini pitcher at 5 p.m. in order "to relax" and the mother, who says she needs a drink, sips it, and sighs with, relief are both teaching their children a lesson that won't be forgotten. Dr. Morris E. Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, says "Obviously the problem is not in the substance itself. It's in the use and attitudes toward drinking. We have a tendency to take our liquor as we live life rapidly and tensely. The general aim is to feel 'good' in the shortest period of time." The message that alcohol can be used as a painkiller for "instant relaxation" or as a mood alterer causes kids to wonder why one should suffer at all when relief can be had so easily. Can parents prevent this message from reaching their child? Dr. Chafetz believes they can. "Despite outside pressures," he asserts, "parents are still a great influence. By serving as models of sensible and healthy alcohol use, we can lower the chances that our children will develop destructive drinking practices. Responsible use of alcohol at home is our number one bulwark against alcohol abuse." Here are some guides that can help you encourage your child to treat alcohol with respect. 1. Refrain from giving alcohol a romantic allure by putting it under lock and key or by equating its use with manhood and maturity. 2. Phrases such as "I need a drink" infer that a quick drink sends troubles away. Avoid them. 3. Try not to attach any particular importance to the fact that someone drinks or doesn't drink. 4. Alcoholic beverages should be consumed slowly, and along with meals. 5. Let your children know that there is nothing funny about a drink. Be plain that the drunk is sick and hurts himself or others if he gets behind the wheel of a car. According to Dr. Chafetz, "If we're ever going to get a handle on this terrible disease, we must control what I call the "contagion factor' the spread of irresponsible, unhealthy drinking behavior to the young." |