College trio clear on sensible drinking

Lauren Shadbolt, Aleisha Snep and Emily Callaghan don't drink to get drunk and don't find alcohol a novelty. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Girls' attitudes to alcohol and parental guidance appear to be the exception

Lauren Shadbolt, Aleisha Snep and Emily Callaghan enjoy a couple of pre-mixed vodkas every now and then.

The Auckland teenagers indulge occasionally - with their parents' permission.

The Weekend Herald interviewed dozens of teenagers about their drinking and found the girls' attitudes to alcohol to be the exception.

All three say their parents gradually introduced them to alcohol at family occasions.

Lauren, 17, was first allowed a "shandy" (beer mixed with lemonade) or a bottle of pre-mixed vodka to share with one of her sisters. Aleisha, 16, said she was allowed one pre-mixed drink - on special occasions and under her parents' supervision - from age 14.

The girls don't drink to get drunk and don't find alcohol a novelty, they just like to "have a couple with the girls".

"Our parents are all friends and they trust each other," said Emily, 16.

"They have the same values and stuff like that ... if you're brought up and you've never had your hands on it and suddenly you turn 18 then you really want to do it."

Lauren says: "If you're brought up to drink responsibly then you don't feel the need to get drunk.

"Some of my friends know that they just used to be able to do whatever they want, whereas Dad always wanted to know where I was going, who was I with, relatively what time I would be going to be home and if I had credit on my phone to text him to ask for help if I needed.

"I think it's better to be honest. Because if something does go wrong then you can actually tell your parents or if you're feeling unsafe then you can call your parents and say come and pick me up."

Aleisha agrees, saying that when parents see their teenagers treating alcohol with respect, they learn to trust them with it.

"There's no reason to abuse it. My parents set me a limit and say 'you can have this many drinks and then if you don't want it, just don't drink it'.

"They trust you to control yourself with it. The older you get and the more mature you get it's like a bit more lenient."