Governor reacts to charges against son

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Governor Lincoln Chafee is speaking out after his son has been charged with serving alcohol to a minor.

Caleb Chafee, 18, pleaded no contest Wednesday to a charge of violating the state's social host law in connection with an underage drinking party at his parents' Exeter home in May.

"It is important for parents to learn from our experiences and make sure they just talk to their teenagers," he said. "It's illegal to drink if you're under 21, that's just the reality."

The governor is trying to take a balanced view when it comes to dealing with his son.

"It's a continued challenge for parents that have teenagers, just know that those are difficult years," he added. "Caleb's doing well, he just did an outdoor course, where he got high marks in leadership, and I'm very proud of him."

Governor Chafee is showing that dealing with teenagers is never easy, and possibly even more so with his responsibilities to the state of Rhode Island.