18 year old can legally drink in Mexico - Spring Break parental advice please

[Anonymous]

My 18 year old is overall a great kid. I know that he has had alcohol at parties in the past (he always comes home and tells us what happened; he usually has one drink and nurses it the entire night). We are going to Mexico as a family for spring break and the legal drinking age is 18. How should we go about this? I am inclined to give him a taste of legal consumption as long as it is in moderation. He will be with the family at all times and has no desire to go out on his own. I asked him and he sees himself enjoying a happy hour drink at the pool each afternoon and maybe a margarita once or twice when we go out to dinner.

[Anonymous]

That sounds more than reasonable. He’s 18 and it’s legal there. He’s with his family. It’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Um OP, it’s time to chill out. I assume your DC is going to college in the fall and GASP he is going to do whatever he wants, drinking, drugs, sex, whatever he desires. Freaking out about drinking in Mexico while he’s WITH you is not an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 18 year old is overall a great kid. I know that he has had alcohol at parties in the past (he always comes home and tells us what happened; he usually has one drink and nurses it the entire night). We are going to Mexico as a family for spring break and the legal drinking age is 18. How should we go about this? I am inclined to give him a taste of legal consumption as long as it is in moderation. He will be with the family at all times and has no desire to go out on his own. I asked him and he sees himself enjoying a happy hour drink at the pool each afternoon and maybe a margarita once or twice when we go out to dinner.

You really think he has one drink while drinking with friends in HS? And “nurses it” through the evening? I doubt it. I know kids who don’t drink and kids who drink a lot but drinking one drink at HS gathering is pretty unusual (and strikes me as unlikely). This seems more like “trickle truth”.

I have an 18 yo too and would not be averse to my kid having a legal drink at meals. I would not be ok with drinking every afternoon by the pool fwiw.

[Anonymous]

Tell him NOT to drink the worm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell him NOT to drink the worm.

But that’s the best.we made sure we brought some home, lol!

[Anonymous]

Why not a drink by the pool in the afternoons?

[Anonymous]

I would say no drinking. There’s no reason to encourage drinking just because it’s legal. You’re giving him the impression he has to drink or that it’s expected.

[Anonymous]

I've come totally around on this topic. At one point I would have been so judgemental about letting a kid drink. But now I think if there's a way to teach how to not binge drink by allowing a beer at dinner or 1 drink by the pool, then that's probably a great idea. Kind of wish I had learned about drinking without binge drinking a lot earlier

[Anonymous]

If he's 18 and it's legal there, I don't see the issue.

The thing about underage drinking is more about establishing that you follow and respect the rules of wherever you are. So in the U.S., you don't drink until you are 21, whether you like it or not, because there are legal consequences to not following that rule.

[Anonymous]

I think it's reasonable to teach him safe/healthy drinking habits in the presence of family. If your and your spouse are binge drinking all day, well he's already learning that too.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget to teach him to how to call for emergency help in Mexico.

[Anonymous]

This seems like a great opportunity to teach him some healthy ways to consume alcohol. I think that is by far the biggest drawback of the 21 and over law in the US. Teaching my kid how to enjoy a drink or 2 at home, with me supervising, would be my ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not a drink by the pool in the afternoons?

I’m the one who posted that. I don’t know why really, I just don’t like the idea. Maybe because we have younger kids and it strikes me as excessive or decadent if the kid is also drinking at dinner. My values around alcohol are that I rarely drink in the daytime or while spending time together with kids. If the 18 yo were my youngest or only kid I’d maybe feel differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounds more than reasonable. He’s 18 and it’s legal there. He’s with his family. It’s fine.

No.

No one under 21 is capable of using alcohol responsibly. That’s why it’s the law. He should not be allowed in Mexico.