by Annette

Created on: June 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 09, 2009

We have all been there and can anybody honestly claim innocence? Experimenting is as part of a teenager's life as breathing.

Trail and error learning, as introduced by Piaget, the Constructivist, might be the only form of learning that is really successful. That doesn't mean that teenage drinking must be condoned but maybe the way it is handled by society and parents must be reviewed.

Parents are very seldom completely without blame when it comes to teenage drinking. Some parents are too strict and doesn't allow any alcohol. Sometimes it is because of a specific religious convictions and other times, the illusion of protecting the child.

The hard facts are most teenagers will at some point experiment with drinking. The question is how controlled will it be? Allowing an older child to have a sip or, at a certain age,a light drink will still their curiosity for a while. The parent will be able to control the situation, the child will understand the effect alcohol has and will be better prepared for circumstances where alcohol is freely available.

The example a parent sets can't be underestimated. If a child grows up in an environment where people get drunk regularly they will accept it as the norm. Unfortunately you cannot tell a child to do one thing if you do the opposite. In some instances where alcohol abuse has a very destructive effect on a family, the teenager might, out of own choice, be against drinking. This is not always the case, though.

Peer pressure is always a factor. Very few teenagers want to be different from the group. The uniqueness of being different has not entered the teenagers mind yet. They will rather go against their beliefs and parents wishes than to be left out of a group. Acceptance is more valued than anything else. Teenagers that don't feel loved and accepted at home, are even more vulnerable to peer pressure.

The media also deserves a lot of the blame. Motion pictures and television programs in many countries are some of the main culprits. While smoking is being banned the, casual and sometimes not so casual, drinking of alcohol seems to be quite acceptable.

Most teenagers idolize one or more celebrities. Unfortunately it happens to be a Britney Spears or an arrogant rapper with a less than acceptable lifestyle. Instead of condemning it, they seem to rather want to adapt a similar lifestyle. Where the talent of the celebrity should inspire them, they are mostly fascinated with the money, sexual misconducts and substance abuse that are part of so many celebrity lives.

The pain and suffering caused by uncontrollable teenage drinking, be it an unwanted pregnancy, a disability or death, can never be acceptable in a civiliced society and all involved should continue looking for solutions.

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