Talk. They hear you.

Summer’s here, school’s out and young people may have more downtime than usual. Why not take advantage of this time to practice talking to your kids about the dangers or risks of alcohol? Small conversations can make big impressions.

Nationally, alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience poor grades, social and legal problems, disruption in growth and development, abuse of other drugs, memory problems and more. Youth who start drinking before age 15 years are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age. Locally, according to Fairfax County Youth 2016 Survey data, roughly 16.1 percent of eighth-grade students say they have tried alcohol. By grade 12, that number jumps to 54.3 percent. Research shows that parents are the number one reason young people decide not to drink.

Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board's Wellness, Health Promotion & Prevention team launched a new education campaign this week, "Talk. They hear you." Residents are invited and encouraged to attend brief, free lunchtime presentations to learn about this underage drinking prevention campaign which focuses on children between ages 9-15. The campaign features an interactive mobile app involving simulations and avatars to help parents practice bringing up the topic of alcohol, learn the right questions to ask, and explore ideas on how to keep the conversation going. The app is free and easy to use.

Issues covered in the CSB’s lunchtime presentations include:

• How to tell if your child is drinking alcohol.
• Consequences of underage drinking.
• What you can do to prevent your child from drinking.
• Why small conversations make a big impression.
• Why you should talk with your child about alcohol.
• Why your child might start drinking.

Join CSB prevention specialists; bring a friend, and register now. Make a difference in the life of a child you care about.

Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP and attend the full presentation.

Available sessions

• Wednesday, June 20, 2018
  Noon to 1 p.m. at the Merrifield Center in Fairfax
• Wednesday, June 27, 2018
  Noon to 1 p.m. at the Gartlan Center in Alexandria
• Thursday, June 28, 2018
  Noon to 1 p.m. at the Northwest Center in Reston