Should You Drink with Your Kids?
My Opinion on Whether Drinking with Your Kids Could Help Stop Binge Drinking in College
College students have died from alcohol poisoning, all you have to do is watch an episode of Trauma: Life in the E.R. to know that. A lot of kids are taught from an early age that alcohol is bad, they aren't told much else, just that you shouldn't drink. What kid isn't going to turn around and want to explore this further? If you tell a kid, pretty much any kid, "Don't touch this." What are they going to do?
They are going to find a way to touch it. But if you sit down with your kids and explain to them why drinking alcohol is bad, how it can hurt people, why you can get into a lot of trouble with the law if you drink and drive. When they are teenagers let them have a few sips of what you are drinking, or even if you don't drink and just want to be with them when they have their first drink, have something to share with them.
I'm not promoting drinking with underage kids, not at all. But maybe if kids didn't see alcohol as this big secret that they aren't allowed to explore until they are of drinking age, there wouldn't be so many deaths behind underage drinking.
Talking with your kids about drinking and letting them know you won't completely flip out if they get stuck with some friends' house and can't drive themselves home because they've been drinking, will make it more likely they will call home for a ride when they need one.
If you forbid your kids from drinking alcohol, preach to them not to drink with their friends and are not open to any discussions about it, they are more likely to do anything they can to get what you have forbidden them from having. But if you talk about it with your kids and make it not such a big deal, they won't be so enthralled with getting it.
Should the legal drinking age really be 21? Some people think that if you can join the military and serve their country at age 18, shouldn't they be allowed to drink alcohol as well. Are we sending our youth a mixed message? What about letting kids drink coffee or energy drinks?
Published by Mary Kirkland
Mary is originally from Redondo Beach, California and now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and daughter. Mary has had extensive experience with small animal care as well as rescuing and re-homing.... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a CommentThank you. That's a very good idea.
I belong to that group that is so secret your not supposed to divulge that you belong to AA. OH DAMN, that happens all the time! Anyway, one of the most frequent stories I hear is how kids would trot around after a party and finish off all the drinks that had been left behind. I certainly did it. That was how a lot of folks started. I don't know about drinking in front of kids, I kind of think that's an individual family's choice but I agree with most of the comments here.
But my answer to a parent is make sure you go collect those empties before you kids can get to them.
Very pertinent article!
Thank you. I was forced to drink champagne with my parents on their wedding anniversary every year and my dad would actually get mad if we poured it out. I didn't like the taste. So there are all sorts of families that this won't apply to. If the family is dysfunctionalto begn with, drinking with them may be the wrong thing to do. But if you can have an intelligent conversation with your parents and understand why they are letting you drink and that alcohol isn't something to overindulge in. I think it might actually help when kid go off to college and have never had a drink before and go to a party with friends who have and think it'll be funny to see the new guy get so drunk he gets sick and passes out. Ok, I kinda went off, but I hope you know what I mean.
I understand your idea on this but I drank with my mom, and became alcoholic, but then so was she. I have told my son that I know that he will probably try it but that I hope he doesn't we have rampant alcoholism in our families, both sides, I have not had a drink in 28 years as my sobriety birthday is coming up on October 13th. yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Great article and take on this.
Yeah, I know families that let their kids have a glass of wine at dinner with the rest of them (well, their in their teens), only at home. Sort of takes the 'naughty' feeling away from sneaking, it just becomes an object that really isn't a big deal. And yes, I personally think the 21 age limit is retarded. I think just about everyone alive drinks before that. Idiots who get drunk in public will do it with or without the 21 age limit, possibly remove themselves from the gene pool. Where have you been lately? I'd given up hope of seeing you post here again.
I definitely see what you're saying, good points, Mary
Totally sensible approach, Mary. Take the mystique away and it's no big deal to be able to get it; then you only need to reinforce the message to drink responsibly and in moderation.