Some things about high school never change; like partying and peer pressure. Teens like to party. It may be clubbing, attending a concert or a festival or a house party. Teens drink at parties and sometimes do it excessively. When peers are drinking, it becomes pretty hard for them to not jump in the ‘fun’ and stay sober. Most succumb to the peer pressure and start drinking when if they don’t want to. Here are some tips of staying sober as your peers drink:

The Polite ‘No!’

Some would suggest simply saying no. but most students facing pressure to drink agree that a polite ‘no’ is not enough to push off insistent kids offering you alcohol. To get out of drinking at parties or handling any other kind of peer pressure, a student’s greatest weapon is the way he or she says ‘no’.  

  When someone offers you a drink,

1) Look them in the eye when you give your response; do not look away!

2) Speak clearly; don't mumble; don't whisper or sound meek! Use an authoritative tone because here, the decision is yours.

3) be aware of your body language; don't slouch or nervously rub up and down an arm, etc.

The Classic Response

The most popularly-used attics to drive off insistent peers are ‘I don’t like its taste’. The most insistent of students won’t be able to beat that. But just in case they push you more to drink, then there is something else your kids can do. Ask them a name of a non-alcoholic beverage that they hate and why. When they tell your kids they don’t like the taste, you kid can say "Then you certainly understand why I won't touch alcohol." Accompanied by a smile this tactic is sure to work.

Other responses to drive off pushy peers are:

"I'm the designated driver." (Works only off-campus.)

"I've already had my quota for the evening." (Works only if the person doesn't know you haven't been drinking.)

"I have my period and alcohol brings on the cramps." (Guaranteed to turn a guy pasty white, and a girl will probably say, "Ohh, I understand.")

 Any response to being offered a drink can work if it is said in a confident and convincing way with an assertive body language. The desired results however come with lots of practice. So if you teen are willing to say, practice with them how to say ‘No, thanks!’