Teenagers, Alcohol and Sex: Doing Good Parenthood on an On-line Discussion Board

Abstract

Teenagers, sex and alcohol are frequent topics on an on-line discussion board for Swedish parents. The aim of this study is to analyse how the posters to the discussion board do good parenthood by discussing parental strategies in relation to teenagers, alcohol and sex. The topics of alcohol and sex are chosen because they serve well to address the tension between a teenager’s entitlement to autonomy over decisions concerning her/his own body and parents’ responsibility for ensuring the well-being and socialisation of their child. The analysis shows that, despite considerable differences in the parenting strategies proposed by posters, there are two overarching ideals for good parenthood: the ideal of not taking the easy route as a parent and the ideal of the well-being of the teenager as the primary concern when placing restrictions on teenagers’ behaviour.