How parents unknowingly shape their children's drinking habits for life

Fewer Australian teenagers are drinking alcohol today than 20 years ago. In 2022-23, only 30% had consumed alcohol in the past year, down from 70% in 2001. New research also shows how parents shape their children's drinking habits—often in ways that last well into adulthood. The strongest influence occurs when children are between 15 and 17. Mothers tend to affect daughters most clearly, while fathers have the biggest impact on sons. Some crossover exists, with mothers also shaping sons' habits during their teens and again in their late twenties and thirties.

Parental influence weakens as children move through their twenties. But it often returns between the ages of 28 and 37, especially for those who become parents themselves. Daughters frequently mirror their mothers' drinking patterns, while sons who become fathers start adopting behaviours they had earlier ignored. The research suggests household norms matter more than genetics. When parents supply alcohol to teenagers, it links to heavier drinking and more alcohol-related problems later in life. This effect persists even as broader trends show a sharp decline in teen drinking over the past two decades.

The study highlights how drinking habits pass from one generation to the next. Parental behaviour leaves a lasting mark, particularly when children reach adulthood and start families. While fewer teens drink today, the influence of parents remains a key factor in shaping long-term habits.