There’s a good reason that the legal age for drinking is 21 in most states: to protect kids from the potential dangers of alcohol.

Research shows that young people’s brains are developing until about age 25, and alcohol can have a negative impact on areas that deal with memory, learning and speech, along with other processes. It can also change the way people think, and the way they act. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when people start drinking alcohol in their younger years they’re more likely to have increased school absences and lower grades, and they have a heightened risk for injuries, sexually transmitted infections, vehicle crashes and even violent encounters. In the long term, they’re more likely to develop certain physical and mental health conditions.

And yet, alcohol remains the most common drug used by individuals ages 21 and younger in the United States. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), nearly one-quarter of 14 and 15-year-olds say they’ve had at least one drink in their lifetime, and 4.2 million teens say they went on a drinking binge at least once in the last month. Of high schoolers who say they binge drink, 44% consume eight or more alcoholic beverages in a row.

As a parent, it’s important to make sure your child is fully informed about alcohol. These are conversations that may need to start sooner than you’d expect: the AAP recommends that parents begin talking to kids about alcohol when they’re around 9 years old, as a way of shaping their ideas about drinking as they head into adolescence.

If you’re ready to talk to your kids about alcohol but aren’t sure where to begin, here are some things to consider.

• Share facts and avoid judgment. Rather than speaking harshly about people who drink, talk to your kids about the impact of alcohol on the body and brain. Seek out facts from trusted health sources, such as the CDC and AAP.
• Ask questions. Be curious about what role, if any, alcohol plays in your child’s social circles. Ask if their friends talk about it, for example, and in what way. Find out if their friends’ parents drink. How do they perceive that?
• Model good behavior. Remember, you’re setting an example for your kids. Behave in a way that’s consistent with the values you want your children to act.
• Make it clear that choosing not to drink is an acceptable choice. In fact, more and more people are choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle, especially younger generations. Practice different responses your kids could use in social situations where there might be peer pressure.
• Emphasize that their safety is your top priority. Let them know that if they get into a situation where they do drink, and they need a ride, they can call you or another family member at any hour and you’ll help them get home safely.
• Share personal experiences, if appropriate. If you have family members with addiction problems, it might be helpful to share that with your children. You may also consider sharing your own negative experiences with alcohol with them. That openness and honesty could pave the way for meaningful, trusting conversations.
• Keep the conversation going. Let them know that if they have questions or concerns about alcohol, you’re always available to talk. And, if they don’t want to talk to you, let them know they can speak to another trusted adult about it, including their primary care provider.

In many households, cocktails and conversation go hand in hand. That’s why it’s important for kids to learn about the impact of alcohol from an early age. So that they can make informed decisions about whether to drink or not themselves when they need to.