Research Shows that Children Emulate Parental Behavior at Surprisingly Young Ages
Important Information for Parents Provided by School Community Intervention Program (SCIP)
The Associated Press reported that parent who smoke or drink influence the behavior of their children at a surprisingly young age.
Researchers studied the behavior of 120 children ages 2-6. They were told to choose from 133 items to get a Barbie doll ready for a night on the town. Preschoolers whose parents smoked were more likely to choose cigarettes as part of the ensemble, while those whose parents drank were more likely to choose wine or beer. Children who watched R or PG-13 rated movies at home were five times more likely to choose alcohol.
Overall, 28 percent of the children chose cigarettes, and 61 percent chose alcohol. Those whose parents smoked were about four times more likely to pick out cigarettes, while those whose parents drank monthly or more frequently were three times more likely to choose alcohol.
Parents who watched the study through a two-way mirror were often shocked at their children's actions. One commented, "It's a very humbling experience to be a parent and see your children mimic your behaviors."
The study was published in the September 2005 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
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Other interesting facts (provided by PRIDE-Omaha; May/June 2005)
Did you know? . . .
--68 percent of children who died in alcohol-related traffic crashes were passengers of drinking drivers.
--One in five drivers (21%) aged 15 to 17 years old are considered binge drinkers.
--One in ten 15-17-year-old drivers reported driving after consuming alcohol.
--Someone in the United States dies every 30 minutes in an alcohol-related traffic crash.
--Beer is the most commonly consumed by people stopped for alcohol-impaired driving or involved in alcohol-related crashes.
--80 percent of drivers arrested for DUI reported that beer was their alcoholic beverage of choice.