8 Signs Your Teenager is Drinking
Every teenager goes through a rough phase where it becomes too difficult to know right from wrong. As a parent, you must be aware of it and take necessary steps to ensure that your child always makes an informed choice. For this to happen, you must first know if your child is into any bad habits such as drinking alcohol, or taking drugs. We give you some of the ways to know if your teenager has started drinking alcohol.
1. The breath
One of the obvious signs of a person who is drunk is the way their breath smells. When your child comes back from a party or a night out with friends, try talking to him/her. Avoid yelling and instead try to talk in a way that would require you to be physically close to the teen. This way, you will be able to smell the breath and make out if your ward has been drinking. Most teenagers would avoid having such conversations with their parents and would try to keep some distance. This is again a sign that your teenager might be drinking. Also, if their breath smells of mint, then it could be their way of hiding the smell of the alcohol.
2. The eyes
As soon as your kid comes back home after a fun night, try to make eye-contact with him or her. If he/she has been drinking, then they may avoid having direct eye contact with you out of guilt. Also, if you find their eyes red, sore, or puffy or find them unable to sustain the eye contact for a long time, then it is a sign that your child may have been drinking.
3. The speech
If your child has been drinking, he or she might have slurred speech or may not be able to construct coherent sentences. He or she may mispronounce a word or feel the need to rephrase things.
4. The mood swings
If one has been drinking, then one often displays sudden changes in mood. If you find your child laughing or getting angry for no apparent reason, then it could be a sign of drinking. Also, if you find them displaying odd or silly behavior or behaving in a way which is different from their normal character, then it is a red flag.
