Breathalyzers: A Tool to Help Parents Talk with Kids About Alcohol
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How does anyone know what their blood alcohol levels are by guessing?
There are so many issues to consider when talking with kids about alcohol consumption, and this piece today only covers a small part of that conversation, but I hope you will find some helpful tips for your parenting.
My recommendation is to create notes in your parenting plans about what age you will begin talking with your kids and what parts you will revisit and add to as they mature. Create and lay out your talking points and resources, and leave extra time for kids to ask questions.
The big struggle for me was talking with kids about how much is too much. When they would ask, the next question became, what is the amount that is safe to consume and drive?
Of course, THE answer is no alcohol when driving, and while that may be the black-and-white answer, there is the vague gray area that beckons people, especially our (young adult) kids, to think they know their limits for when they can drive if they have consumed a drink or two or even more.
Are we guessing by how we feel?
What is safe for a larger male differs from that of a smaller female.
I’m making a general statement here, but the vibe around whether to drive after having alcohol seems too often that people guesstimate their alcohol impairment levels based on…
· How many drinks they have had?
· How spread-out the drinking has been.
· Whether or not they have also had caffeine.
· The percent of alcohol in the drink(s).
· The drink(s) tasted watered down
· If they are hydrated.
· If they have eaten.
· How big of a person they are.
· How far they are driving.
· How they feel. (Even though everyone knows alcohol impairs reasoning and thinking.)
Aside from waving down a cop and asking for a breathalyzer test, how do people know?
That’s when a friend mentioned that you can buy personal breathalyzers, and some even are as small as a key chain. I must stress that I do not know how these compare to the breathalyzer the cops use, but it is a start for testing out levels at home as a parent to learn for ourselves and to show teens or to test out at home with young adults.
(If you know of a study done on these compared to what the police use, please email me at Kristin@noteworthyparenting.com, and I will gladly add it to this post.)
So, I immediately purchased two different breathalyzers to try and compare at home, and here are the two we used…
Before we dive in, it is important to note that in the instruction manuals of both breathalyzers, were disclaimers that their products are only for reference points and are not responsible for any behaviors that break the law. The BACtrack manual also includes a few sections on how alcohol affects the body and were good tidbits for parents as they prepare to talk with their kids.
My disclaimer: Do not consume alcohol and drive. This experiment was conducted to give parents more resources and tools to talk with their kids about alcohol consumption, its effects, and its dangers, especially when driving.
Let’s Begin
I enlisted my husband, cooked dinner at home, opened a bottle of wine, grabbed a measuring cup and a timer, and prepared to take notes!
We each tested both breathalyzers before eating or drinking. Our results were 0.0, as expected on each breathalyzer.
The instructions said to wait 20 minutes after finishing food or drink before testing, so we set a timer for 20 minutes before blowing into each breathalyzer.
Here are our results…
As you can see from our results, the effects of drinking 1-2 drinks, even with dinner, are evident. My alcohol levels are legally over the DWAI (Driving While Alcohol Impaired) limit in Colorado.
This is an experiment when done at home as parents to show teens, or with your 21 and older kids, can clarify how alcohol begins to impair the brain.
It is a segway into discussing other aspects of drinking, such as what the laws are for driving impaired and what the BAC% (Blood Alcohol Concentration%) limits are for your state.
In Colorado, where I live, the law states the following levels for BAC% impairment levels…
· 0.05% for DWAI (Driving While Alcohol Impaired) *
· 0.08% for DUI (Driving Under the Influence)
· 0.02% for Underage Drunk Driving
*Even if your BAC is less than 0.05% (DWAI Limit), you can still be charged if you show signs of impairment.
I was unaware that you could be charged even if your BAC% levels were below the legal limit, but your driving appears to be impaired. I also was unaware that there was an underage drunk driving limit. Both are important points to talk with kids about!
What are some takeaways for parents?
A personal breathalyzer can be a great tool for talking with kids, especially teenagers and young adults, who may need more concrete information rather than parents just telling them how much to drink and not drink. Breathalyzers cannot be counted on for making driving decisions, but they are a great tool to help educate.
Consider investing in a few breathalyzes in your parenting friend groups, as they are not cheap. They have disposable pieces to blow into for sanitary use if sharing.
A breathalyzer instruction manual can offer some added talking points for parents when discussing the consumption of alcohol. The BACtrack model had several informative sections about alcohol use.
Giving kids facts and resources helps them feel confident when making decisions.
Talk about how alcohol affects people differently based on size, metabolism, health, and medications.
Show kids where to find the alcohol percentage on a label. Discuss that different types of alcohol have different percentages, and that will affect their BAC% levels.
Talk about the list of excuses (above) that people use to go ahead and drive after drinking, as well as peer pressure to drink and over-consume. Do some role-playing with a few scenarios, and together, devise strategies and responses your child can use if needed.
Talk with your child about picking them up if they are ever in a situation as a teen where a driver has been drinking. Some parents create contracts so their kids feel comfortable calling them in this situation or if they have been drinking. Do what feels right for you as a parent.
Offer a list to young adult children of options for rides such as…
Ride-share apps such as Uber and Lyft or the number to call a cab.
Have a DD (Designated Driver) who does not drink alcohol for the entire outing.
Make plans to spend the night.
Resources:
Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which has several articles and resources for parents.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) has statistics and information about drunk driving.
American Academy of Pediatrics Emphasizes Dangers of Alcohol to Children, Teens, and Young Adults is an article from the HealthyChildren.org website with several links for more resources.
Underage Drinking on the CDC.gov site has several statistics and resources for parents.
I hope you found some helpful information for your parenting notes! Here are other posts to check out for your parenting plans…
What is the best tool for parenting? One that you create to fit your families needs! How do you get started? Click the photo below, buy the book and BEGIN!