<p>So I need some advice and I figured there would be a decent amount of people here who might be able to give it. Today I found out my freshman sister has started drinking. It probably wasn't much booze, but it doesn't matter. That's too early to start, and as a big brother it'd pretty much making me sick to my stomach.</p>
<p>Her friend told me, and I promised her I wouldn't tell my parents, and I don't think it would even make sense too. She'd never trust me again, which would be counter productive. </p>
<p>To add to this mess, our dad is a recovering alcoholic. AA and everything. Hasn't had a drink in 20 + years, but still. He'd be a mess if he found out.</p>
<p>How do I handle this? My running thought is to drive her somewhere, and while she's in the car and has no escape, tell her I'm not telling mom and dad this time, tell her about our dad's history (she doesn't know the details) and make sure she knows I'm there for her if she needs anything. </p>
<p>But I really don't know what the smartest thing to do is.</p>
<p>Btw, if you don't have a little sister and your advice is to not do anything and let her be a normal teenager, I'm really not interested in your advice. Thanks anyway.</p>
<p>Unless the drinking is a pattern then you should leave her alone. She has the right to be a teenager whether it is OK with you or not. I’m a parent by the way.</p>
<p>I think I like your idea fairly well. Let her know you’re worried, and let her know why. I think it’s better than just letting it be. She at least knows that you care, and want her to be safe.</p>
<p>I know this is HSL, and I’m not a big brother, but FWIW, I think your plan sounds pretty good. You might want to add WHY you think it’s too early, and what your worries are ( I’d love to hear them too). She can probably relate to the idea that there are some girls who make mistakes they (think they) will never live down, when drinking. I would be careful about promising anything to anybody. Whoever is telling you stuff should be able to trust your judgment about that. Your sister is a lucky girl.</p>
<p>i disagree with pea. drinking at such a young age is a terrible habit or will become one. i’m a big sister, but if i found that out i think i’d do the samething u plan on, ur idea works, tell her how dangerous it is though she probably should know, and she can always talk to you if she has sumthing on her mind… and hopefully she’ll listen to you.
i cant believe a parent would say that… drinking as a freshman is …terrible, there are certain rules only enforced for the sake of your health, and this is not how a teen enjoys life, shes just hurting herself in the long run, there are many other things she can do without drinking, and as a big brother i think you have every right to tell her wat to do and not too…ur older and know better and its ur responsibility, good luck! i hope she she listens to u and stops!</p>
<p>Oh yea, agreed about the promise to her friend. My point was that seizing the information and running to mom and dad would be counter productive. My sister wouldn’t trust me again, which I can’t imagine would help the situation.</p>
<p>My little sister drinks and does pot, and probably other stuff.</p>
<p>I’ve told her it’s bad. I’ve told her that she’s hanging out with the wrong people. I’ve told her that things will get worse. She didn’t listen.</p>
<p>It’s been more than a year since she started. She’s practically dead to my family.</p>
<p>Some people can be saved, some people can’t. I hope your sister is one of those who can.</p>
<p>Your idea sounds fantastic to me, freshman is definately too young. As a junior maybe a little socially, but freshman is way too young…</p>
<p>Or you do what I did when my little sister started, wait until my parents were out for a weekend and get her so “pixelated” that she never wants to drink again. Though if your parents found out you did that they probably wouldn’t be too happy.</p>
<p>A great kid, a sophomore athlete, just got “pixelated” to death around here. His older friend meant well, but is still facing criminal charges for supplying.</p>
<p>Yea, it’s like, if she started as a junior or a senior, I still wouldn’t be happy with it obviously, but I wouldn’t be as upset as I am with this. The kids who are drinking as freshman are the ones who are more comfortable and open to with that kind of stuff a couple years down the road. She’s gonna be the *<strong><em>faced one at the party two years from now. The drunk even the other drunk kids make fun of. The *</em></strong>faced cum dumpster and the one who thinks it fine to drive home at the end of the night.</p>
<p>I don’t want that… She’s too good of a kid. =/</p>
<p>I’m all for your idea. Your dad’s history might scare her enough to do the job, but if the drinking becomes more common, I’d say you have to break the promise. Better off having her mad at you than waiting for something really awful to happen. Even if she doesn’t drink to excess, I think starting that early increases the chances of getting into worse stuff later (hanging out with the wrong people, etc.)</p>
<p>(Also, I’m a big sister, just so you know.)</p>
<p>Jack2010, What if you initiated a dinner-time discussion with your dad about why he started drinking and about the necessity to stop. Would your sister listen if the discussion was about him and not her? </p>
<p>You could be prepared to talk about your concerns about alcoholism and the possibility that you and your sister could be genetically predisposed given your father’s history and how dangerous it is specifically for women too–Wikipedia has some good statistics about alcoholism. For example, disproving Pea, Wikipedia states:
“Those who consume alcohol at an early age, by age 16 or younger, are at a higher risk of alcohol dependence or abuse.”</p>
<p>Perhaps a general conversation would be easier for her to handle than one that is specifically about her. Try not to put her on the defensive if you do choose to confront her with what you know.</p>
<p>Yank, It is possible to suffer alcohol poisoning without going through the vomit stage since different individuals will enter the vomit stage at different points (and depending on how quickly and in what quantities they consume alcohol).</p>
<pre><code>* Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or person cannot be roused.
Vomiting.
Seizures.
Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute).
Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths).
Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness.
</code></pre>
<p>According to the Mayo Clinic, not all symptoms need be present for the person to be in danger. They give the following tips for what to do:
It’s not necessary for all of these symptoms to be present before you seek help. A person who is unconscious or can’t be roused is at risk of dying.</p>
<p>When to see a doctor
If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning — even if you don’t see the classic signs and symptoms — seek immediate medical care. In an emergency, follow these suggestions:</p>
<pre><code>* If the person is unconscious, breathing less than eight times a minute or has repeated, uncontrolled vomiting, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Keep in mind that even when someone is unconscious or has stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise. Never assume that a person will “sleep off” alcohol poisoning.
If the person is conscious, call 800-222-1222, and you’ll automatically be routed to your local poison control center. The staff at the poison control center or emergency call center can instruct you as to whether you should take the person directly to a hospital. All calls to poison control centers are confidential.
Be prepared to provide information. If you know, be sure to tell hospital or emergency personnel the kind and amount of alcohol the person ingested, and when.
Don’t leave an unconscious person alone. While waiting for help, don’t try to make the person vomit. People who have alcohol poisoning have an impaired gag reflex and may choke on their own vomit or accidentally inhale (aspirate) vomit into their lungs, which could cause a fatal lung injury.
</code></pre>
<p>wow. i’m glad to know there are actually brothers like you out there. I agree with most of the posts above me. do what you can to save your little sister. the world is “bad” and hopefully she’ll realize it too. in the end she’ll either listen to you or not…but one day her decision of drinking will hit her and make her realize its a bad thing after all.</p>
<p>When you mean drinking do you mean she tried it once or it’s already a habit? If it’s the latter, I’d act, if not, you may want to wait and see.</p>
<p>I can’t believe I am getting taken to task here.</p>
<p>moonstar: “I can’t believe a parent would say that”.</p>
<p>I have a daughter graduating from high school in one week with straight As. She was awarded two merit scholarships to attend a top liberal arts college in the Fall. It looks like I did something right.</p>
<p>Mrs. Weasley: "disproving Pea, Wikipedia states:
“Those who consume alcohol at an early age, by age 16 or younger, are at a higher risk of alcohol dependence or abuse.”</p>
<p>Disproving what? I’m familiar with those statistics. What I said or what I meant to say is that trying a drink does not mean someone has a problem with substance abuse. I have a history with alcoholism in my family. I am very careful with how much I drink and I have made sure my kids are aware of the history. One drink does not an alcoholic make. I thought the advice of getting your sister so drunk she’ll never want to drink again was absolutely terrible for the reasons Mrs. Weasley gave. I thought Mrs. Weasley’s suggestion of a discussion including your Father about the greater dangers your family faces regarding alcoholism was excellent.</p>
<p>Jack2010, you sound like a great brother. I think your original plan to talk to your sister alone is good.</p>
<p>otherwise, I like Mrs Weasley’s idea - if your dad is comfortable talking about the subject and if what he says at the dinner table is likely to really influence your sister</p>
<p>By the way, I’m not an older sister (or brother for that matter :D), but I do have family and people I’m so close to, we could be sisters, mostly younger than me. I’d freak if I knew any of them began drinking, even slightly, as a freshman. I understand later in high school, but I think freshman year is too young to even drink socially. </p>