Parents drinking beer while taking kids trick-or-treating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the poster who wrote this. I think you are probably a troll or purposefully misunderstanding, but I think it's pretty clear that I meant that people aren't driving because they are walking around their immediate neighborhoods. Because that's the nature of trick or treating. That's it.

I had one beer. Didn't even finish it, actually.


Are you ok? really.. .this is just some person on the internet that does not even know you.. you don't owe them any excuse

I didn't see it as an excuse. None needed. I am letting the person know that they are insane and their assumption that I was in an "impaired state" was not correct. But thanks for checking in.

[Anonymous]

Or maybe the troll is a 12 year old and hasn't yet had a beer

really.. thanks.....you just HAD to BLOW MY COVER...great.. thanks.. have a wonderful day... now that you ruined mine..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm of the opinion you can drink responsibly. It seems the no drinking crowd here (which I also think is actually just 1 person - the OP) thinks you're either sober or blind drunk. Their kids are gonna be juuuuust fine.

OP here. I don't see in my original post where I set up a dichotomy between being blind drunk or stone-cold sober; in fact, I think my tone is fairly mild, albeit I do express some disapproval. (Since when is the word "inappropriate" a mark of hysteria, as some PPs suggest?) But just for the record, I am definitely not anti-alcohol nor some 21st Century Carrie Nation. Last night my reaction may have been partly because a number of times some boozy father or other gusted his nasty stank beer breath in my face, which possibly biased me against the sidewalk drinking during trick-or-treat with my kid. It gave things a frat-party air, which was not exactly the Halloween experience I was looking for for my kid.

I'm surprised at the emotion that this post seems to have generated. Much more energy was spent on this than on something actually serious or important - true to DCUM form! Thanks for those who posted moderately-toned responses. Good to know I'm in the extreme minority; who knows? Maybe by next year I'll be carrying a flask of my own!

Really?! Surprised? Do you not know the history of Prohibitionism in this country?

[Anonymous]

Awesome idea - doing it next year - thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hot mulled cider w/ rum is an alternative. In to-go coffee cups. Perfection for a gaggle of parents out w/ the kids on a beautiful night like last night!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Except on Halloween, we're all in our neighborhoods walking around with our kids. No one is driving anywhere"

Can you do me a favor and tell me what I will be doing in the next 5 minutes. Since you are so sure your won't have to drive.. God forbid something happens and you have to get behind the wheel... I'm sorry.. its halloween. No emergencies happen on halloween. Its halloween.. take a few hours off from responsible parenting and knock a few back.... you don't need to know where your kids are.. there safe..they are only a few feet in front of you... no really with your impaired vision.. they were just there a minute ago. You must be a great fortune teller since you know you'll never have to drive on halloween. tell me what the lottery numbers will be tomorrow

How hard is this for you to understand? Having one drink while walking around with your kids trick or treating does not lead to you being drunk, getting in a car and killing someone.

Holy shit some people are seriously paranoid or just complete worry mongers. Are you the one who needs to be talked "off the ledge" b/c you are pregnant and just ate a slice of pepperoni pizza for lunch? Man are there some crazy people on the DCUM boards tonight...

[Anonymous]

I added a lovely dollop of Bailey's to my coffee...twice

[Anonymous]

I am completely disgusted with all the people who have supported drinking while trick or treating. My daughter's father cracked a beer as we were trick or treating and I was appalled. What kind of role model is that for a child? You can't even spend a few hours trick or treating with your kids without drinking? This reeks of alcoholism.

[Anonymous]

The police helped us obtain the permits for blocking off our N.Arlington street for the block party.

They did not seem concerned that some 40-50-year old 1% professionals would be drinking from open containers on Halloween night. Many saw this party as a Holiday tradition. I didn't see one 'drunk' parent.

If you think one beer 'reeks of alchoholism'---you have some issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Except on Halloween, we're all in our neighborhoods walking around with our kids. No one is driving anywhere"

Can you do me a favor and tell me what I will be doing in the next 5 minutes. Since you are so sure your won't have to drive.. God forbid something happens and you have to get behind the wheel... I'm sorry.. its halloween. No emergencies happen on halloween. Its halloween.. take a few hours off from responsible parenting and knock a few back.... you don't need to know where your kids are.. there safe..they are only a few feet in front of you... no really with your impaired vision.. they were just there a minute ago. You must be a great fortune teller since you know you'll never have to drive on halloween. tell me what the lottery numbers will be tomorrow

By that logic, no one should ever drink at any time since none of us is absolutely, 100% certain that a horrible emergency will not occur in the next 5 minutes. We should all sit around in fear waiting for the next crisis when we will have to drive to the emergency room. What a great life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am completely disgusted with all the people who have supported drinking while trick or treating. My daughter's father cracked a beer as we were trick or treating and I was appalled. What kind of role model is that for a child? You can't even spend a few hours trick or treating with your kids without drinking? This reeks of alcoholism.

Um, he's a role model who just had a beer? What's wrong with that? It's not that a person can't spend a few hours trick or treating with the kids without drinking. It's that some people choose to have a drink or two once in a while. So what? What do you say to people at a bbq or party when they crack open a beer -- "oh my god, can't you spend two hours eating hotdots and hamburgers without drinking?? You're an alcoholic!" That sound really unreasonable to me.

[Anonymous]

NP here and I am really suprised that this practice appears to be so common. If I saw parents walking their kids around with beers/open containers of alcohol i would think it is strange and inappropriate, too.

I feel like "professionals" get a pass for behavior that would likely be frowned upon (by those same folks!) if the behavior was exhibited by working class/poorer groups.

How long are you out trick or treating with your kids? Hour, hour and a half max? And you choose THAT short period to walk around the streets with your kids drinking? Very strange, frat-like indeed.

And for the record, I enjoy drinking alcohol. But there is a time and a place, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I am really suprised that this practice appears to be so common. If I saw parents walking their kids around with beers/open containers of alcohol i would think it is strange and inappropriate, too.

I feel like "professionals" get a pass for behavior that would likely be frowned upon (by those same folks!) if the behavior was exhibited by working class/poorer groups.

How long are you out trick or treating with your kids? Hour, hour and a half max? And you choose THAT short period to walk around the streets with your kids drinking? Very strange, frat-like indeed.

And for the record, I enjoy drinking alcohol. But there is a time and a place, people.

I totally agree, and I don't think it's appropriate either. I am disgusted by how many parents drink regularly in front of their young children. Do they know that their kids go to preschool/daycare and act out how "Mommies drink wine at the Bunco party" and draw pictures of "my daddy drinking beer". It happens A LOT.

[Anonymous]

I didn't have a drink of any kind last night, but one or two years on Halloween, I've had one when it's been offered by a friend or neighbor. What's the big deal either way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I am really suprised that this practice appears to be so common. If I saw parents walking their kids around with beers/open containers of alcohol i would think it is strange and inappropriate, too.

I feel like "professionals" get a pass for behavior that would likely be frowned upon (by those same folks!) if the behavior was exhibited by working class/poorer groups.

How long are you out trick or treating with your kids? Hour, hour and a half max? And you choose THAT short period to walk around the streets with your kids drinking? Very strange, frat-like indeed.

And for the record, I enjoy drinking alcohol. But there is a time and a place, people.

I totally agree, and I don't think it's appropriate either. I am disgusted by how many parents drink regularly in front of their young children. Do they know that their kids go to preschool/daycare and act out how "Mommies drink wine at the Bunco party" and draw pictures of "my daddy drinking beer". It happens A LOT.

I am totally fine with my kid drawing that picture or acting that out. He understands that mommies and daddies sometimes drink beer or wine, and that it's for grown-ups. I grew up where alcohol wasn't taboo, and regularly saw my parents model responsible drinking. I hope to do the same for him. And I hope he's able to enjoy a beer or a nice glass of wine responsibly when he grows up, because a great pinot really improves your life!