When Dad can’t stop worrying

The statistics around young men’s drinking are stark. So how does a father broach the subject with his son, asks Sue Leonard

Dad of One Direction star Niall Horan was recently rumoured to be so worried about his 18-year-old son, that he asked his bandmate, Harry Styles, to keep an eye on him. Although the story has been denied since, there are many dads who wouldn’t have found it all that unbelievable.

“Not at all,” says parenting expert John Sharry. “Parents are right to worry. The statistics around young men’s drinking are horrible. The dangers of suicide, crime, violence, rape, sexual indiscretions and drug taking are huge, and they are all directly, or indirectly related to drinking.”