Many schools will soon be hosting their senior proms, and while we do need to be concerned about all the excess that seems inherent to the event – indulgent spending, drinking, wild behavior – proms can be fun and meaningful events for you both.

The first thing to understand is that alcoholism is a disease, not just a bad habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a full 20% of adults actually have a genetic marker for alcoholism—and while genetics do not necessarily dictate outcome, people with the genetic marker do have a higher risk of becoming abusers of alcohol.  However, even if you do not have the genetic marker, you could still become an alcoholic. In other words, if you drink enough for a long enough period of time, you will become addicted.

Move-in day is an annual ritual if you are the parent of a college student. But while lugging heavy suitcases up too many flights of stairs may leave you exhausted, it probably leaves your son or daughter feeling adventurous and excited. Chances are, you go home and collapse and they go out to one of many welcome parties where old friends are reunited and new friends are made — and chances are, there will be plenty of drinking.