We knew this, didn’t we? If you’re a teen who “parties,” you are more popular. The Chicago Tribune reported on a study showing that “Teens who reported occasional drinking and getting drunk tended to have higher ‘social connectedness’ than their abstaining peers.” Last year, this blog reported that teens who have good friends who drink tend to get their first drink from a friend, rather than their parents. It may be a good time to acknowledge, and bring out into the open, what is probably evident to your teen. Popularity may go up if he or she drinks and gets drunk…but that still doesn’t make it wise or desirable. Just having a lot of friends doesn’t guarantee quality friendships. Friends that are worth having care what happens to you, and want you to have a safe, healthy experience as you go through the teen years.
