Small Talks
We help work to promote the Small Talks campaign within our local community. What is the Small Talks Campaign?
Small Talks: How Wisconsin prevents underage drinking
Alcohol can do lasting damage to a kid’s growing brain, impacting everything from how they learn and make decisions to how they handle emotions. But you don’t need a big speech to help a kid understand the dangers of underage drinking. Start small instead. Having a lot of small, causal talks—at the store, in the drive-thru, or between video games—can make a big difference in a kid’s health. Start around age eight to prepare kids to make a lifetime of healthy decisions. Visit SmallTalksWI.org(link is external) for talk tips, facts, and more. This campaign is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
--
Learn how to talk with kids about underage drinking
Kids who drink alcohol are more likely to have problems at school, with their friends, and with the law. Worse, alcohol can harm kids’ physical and mental health. But you don’t need a big speech to help a kid understand the dangers of underage drinking. Start small instead. Having a lot of small, casual talks—at the store, in the drive-thru, or between video games—can make a big difference in a kid’s health. Start around age eight to prepare kids to make a lifetime of healthy decisions. Relax. Talk. Listen. Repeat. Visit SmallTalksWI.org(link is external) for talk tips, facts, and more. This campaign is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
--
Help kids grow up alcohol-free: Have small talks
Small talks about underage drinking can make a difference in a kid’s choices. That’s because kids really do listen. Research shows having frequent, casual conversations about alcohol, starting around age 8, can be a lot more effective—and a lot less intimidating—than one super serious discussion. So, start talking. Keep listening. Help give a kid the confidence to grow up alcohol-free. Visit SmallTalksWI.org(link is external) for talk tips, facts, and more. This campaign is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
--
Now is a great time to talk with youth about alcohol
Research shows that having frequent, casual conversations about the dangers of alcohol can make a big difference in your kid’s choices. However, once your small talks get started, you may get hit with some tough questions, like, “If alcohol is so bad, why do you drink wine?” But don’t sweat it. [INSERT NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION] is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to help. We’ve put together more tips, more tools and more answers to tough questions, such as, “Did you drink when you were a kid?” and “What if my friends ask me to drink?” and “Why do I need to wait until I’m 21?" These new resources are part of Small Talks, a campaign from Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which encourages adults to have short, casual conversations with kids frequently, starting at age 8 on the dangers of drinking alcohol before the age of 21. To access the resources go to the Small Talks website at SmallTalksWI.org. Then, share your small talks moments on social media using #SmallTalksWI.
--
Because you care about kids, you care about underage drinking
Changing Wisconsin’s alcohol culture in which drinking is an expected as a rite of passage isn’t just possible—it’s happening now, in small ways all over the state. Small Talks is an underage drinking campaign from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. It encourages parents and other caring adults to have frequent, casual conversations with kids, starting around age 8, about the dangers of drinking alcohol before the age of 21. The dangers are real: alcohol can damage the brain and body, young drinkers take costly risks, alcohol is linked to mental health problems, and most underage drinking is binge drinking, which compounds the health and safety risks. Research shows that these non-judgmental small talks can be a lot more effective—and a lot less intimidating—than one super serious discussion. What can you do?
- Go to SmallTalksWI.org for the latest Wisconsin underage drinking facts, talk tips, and more.
- Use the information from SmallTalksWI.org to have small talks with the kids in your life.
- Sign up to receive the quarterly Small Talks email newsletter at SmallTalksWI.org.
- Share Small Talks campaign resources with parents and other caring adults in your community.
- Promote the Small Talks campaign on your social media channels. Tag all posts with #SmallTalksWI.
--
Newsletter archive
2022
- Quarter 3(link is external)
- Quarter 2(link is external)
- Special Edition: Alcohol Awareness Month(link is external)
- Quarter 1