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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're missing the point. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a legal drug responsibly complying with the law. Everybody who took their open containers in a public place were breakig the law and thanks heaven nothing happened but I wonder what the headlines would be if any of those kids were hit by a car because mom or dad were too slow pulling them back to the sidewalk. You all drinking on the streets are guilty of public intoxication and this is gross. There's a time and place for enjoying alcohol and out on the streets while watching children is not it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to think some of these posts are jokes. Nobody could possibly care about adults enjoying a glass of wine or a bottle of beer amongst friends while walking around together for an hour. It is entirely appropriate and a great example of fellowship. Glad to see some parents/neighbors out there making friends and being social.

Do you need alcohol for this? What a shame!

I'm not the poster, but of course not. But you are missing the point. Many (most?) of us just simply don't see any harm. There is NO difference in my behavior if I am carrying a red cup around, drinking water, or carrying a red cup around, drinking wine. Seriously. Makes. No. Difference.

This whole notion of never drinking around or in front of your children or while your children are sleeping is nonsense. I am an adult. I know how to drink responsibly. I don't place undue importance on something this trivial. I quite honestly question the sanity (and yes, the parenting) of people who are soo crazy, judgmental, cut and dry about something like having ONE glass of wine around your children. I think YOUR children will honestly have the problems b/c your attitude toward something like this speaks volumes about you as a person and as a parent.

Again, not (read MOST) everyone having A drink on Halloween are NOT intoxicated, and the fact that so many of you equate A drink with being drunk is so odd to me. I know almost no one who gets drunk anymore, but I know plenty who drink. There is a lot of gray area you're conveniently skipping over to make your stupid point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're missing the point. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a legal drug responsibly complying with the law. Everybody who took their open containers in a public place were breakig the law and thanks heaven nothing happened but I wonder what the headlines would be if any of those kids were hit by a car because mom or dad were too slow pulling them back to the sidewalk. You all drinking on the streets are guilty of public intoxication and this is gross. There's a time and place for enjoying alcohol and out on the streets while watching children is not it.

One or two drinks over several hours does not constitute public intoxication. And in Virginia there is no open container law, so no law was broken their either.

Two beers does not impare someone's ability to walk their kids across the street.

Really? Do you really believe that every single human being has the same tolerance level to alcohol???????


Oh and here for the folks who think VA doesn't have a open container in public law:

http://www.opencontainerlaws.com/opencontainersinpublic.html

[Anonymous]

I regret to inform you that this licentiousness was not confined to NoVA. Many in Chevy Chase Md were also imbibing of the devil's juice.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine how humiliating it would be if one child got hurt and during investigation authorities found out that all adults in charge were drinking. Drunk or not, alcohol slows down your nervous response so you do slow down and can't act as fast as if you had not had a sip. You don't need a major in bio to know this. You need common sense and it's scary to know that very few of you have it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're missing the point. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a legal drug responsibly complying with the law. Everybody who took their open containers in a public place were breakig the law and thanks heaven nothing happened but I wonder what the headlines would be if any of those kids were hit by a car because mom or dad were too slow pulling them back to the sidewalk. You all drinking on the streets are guilty of public intoxication and this is gross. There's a time and place for enjoying alcohol and out on the streets while watching children is not it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to think some of these posts are jokes. Nobody could possibly care about adults enjoying a glass of wine or a bottle of beer amongst friends while walking around together for an hour. It is entirely appropriate and a great example of fellowship. Glad to see some parents/neighbors out there making friends and being social.

Do you need alcohol for this? What a shame!

I'm not the poster, but of course not. But you are missing the point. Many (most?) of us just simply don't see any harm. There is NO difference in my behavior if I am carrying a red cup around, drinking water, or carrying a red cup around, drinking wine. Seriously. Makes. No. Difference.

This whole notion of never drinking around or in front of your children or while your children are sleeping is nonsense. I am an adult. I know how to drink responsibly. I don't place undue importance on something this trivial. I quite honestly question the sanity (and yes, the parenting) of people who are soo crazy, judgmental, cut and dry about something like having ONE glass of wine around your children. I think YOUR children will honestly have the problems b/c your attitude toward something like this speaks volumes about you as a person and as a parent.

Again, not (read MOST) everyone having A drink on Halloween are NOT intoxicated, and the fact that so many of you equate A drink with being drunk is so odd to me. I know almost no one who gets drunk anymore, but I know plenty who drink. There is a lot of gray area you're conveniently skipping over to make your stupid point.

[Anonymous]

Holy shit. Sleep deprivation is equivalent to drunkenness in terms of impairment of reflexes and judgement. I guess we should take away the kids of all parents whose children don't sleep? I mean seriously. It's a gross error in judgement to be sleep deprived while taking care of kids and worse yet to drive like that...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't imagine how humiliating it would be if one child got hurt and during investigation authorities found out that all adults in charge were drinking. Drunk or not, alcohol slows down your nervous response so you do slow down and can't act as fast as if you had not had a sip. You don't need a major in bio to know this. You need common sense and it's scary to know that very few of you have it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're missing the point. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a legal drug responsibly complying with the law. Everybody who took their open containers in a public place were breakig the law and thanks heaven nothing happened but I wonder what the headlines would be if any of those kids were hit by a car because mom or dad were too slow pulling them back to the sidewalk. You all drinking on the streets are guilty of public intoxication and this is gross. There's a time and place for enjoying alcohol and out on the streets while watching children is not it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to think some of these posts are jokes. Nobody could possibly care about adults enjoying a glass of wine or a bottle of beer amongst friends while walking around together for an hour. It is entirely appropriate and a great example of fellowship. Glad to see some parents/neighbors out there making friends and being social.

Do you need alcohol for this? What a shame!

I'm not the poster, but of course not. But you are missing the point. Many (most?) of us just simply don't see any harm. There is NO difference in my behavior if I am carrying a red cup around, drinking water, or carrying a red cup around, drinking wine. Seriously. Makes. No. Difference.

This whole notion of never drinking around or in front of your children or while your children are sleeping is nonsense. I am an adult. I know how to drink responsibly. I don't place undue importance on something this trivial. I quite honestly question the sanity (and yes, the parenting) of people who are soo crazy, judgmental, cut and dry about something like having ONE glass of wine around your children. I think YOUR children will honestly have the problems b/c your attitude toward something like this speaks volumes about you as a person and as a parent.

Again, not (read MOST) everyone having A drink on Halloween are NOT intoxicated, and the fact that so many of you equate A drink with being drunk is so odd to me. I know almost no one who gets drunk anymore, but I know plenty who drink. There is a lot of gray area you're conveniently skipping over to make your stupid point.

Doesn't matter. When you say all people drinking are guilty of public intoxication, that's a false statement. Period. End of story. No more need to discuss THAT issue. If you want to continue to qualify why you think no one should ever drink ever ever ever ever for the rest of time, that's a different discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy shit. Sleep deprivation is equivalent to drunkenness in terms of impairment of reflexes and judgement. I guess we should take away the kids of all parents whose children don't sleep? I mean seriously. It's a gross error in judgement to be sleep deprived while taking care of kids and worse yet to drive like that...

The worst car accident I ever got in was at 8:30 am by a guy who hadn't been to sleep that night because he'd been working, but no one is on this board talking about that. It's just these weird anti-alcohol, no-fun, lecturing busy bodies.
Here's the deal. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DRINK WHILE TRICK OR TREATING, DON'T. And then just shut up about it.

[Anonymous]

For those with happening neighborhoods and drinks in hand on Halloween while trick or treating, please send me a list of homes for sale in your area ASAP.

In my NE DC neighborhood, the juvenile delinquents were out and about with no costumes and eventually stole my decorations when we ran out of candy. I'm so sick of the city. I want to live where you fun people live.

[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.

This is only problematic if you view drinking wine or beer as an evil -- in which case, believe me, your kids will be reaching for the forbidden, evil booze as soon as they hit middle school.

[Anonymous]

I don't drink-- family history of alcoholism and enough ugly incidents in college to make me realize I'm not immune to those genes-- but if you read through this entire thread, as I must confess I have, it is rather evident that the people who imbibe are more fun. Non-drinkers, may I suggest you work on witty rejoinders? Insults, sarcasm, and hand-wringing don't count. Please! Convince us that it is possible to have fun, and be fun, sober!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I regret to inform you that this licentiousness was not confined to NoVA. Many in Chevy Chase Md were also imbibing of the devil's juice.

LOL. Yes the devil was strong that night. Evil, drunk parents staggered about on the streets while their children played in traffic unattended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those with happening neighborhoods and drinks in hand on Halloween while trick or treating, please send me a list of homes for sale in your area ASAP.

In my NE DC neighborhood, the juvenile delinquents were out and about with no costumes and eventually stole my decorations when we ran out of candy. I'm so sick of the city. I want to live where you fun people live.

We are in Clarendon. Pretty much all the neighborhoods along the corridor---Lyon Village, Lyon Park, Ashton Heights...and the ones outside---Maywood, etc. have BIG Holiday celebrations and parties. The demographics are much like the suburbs were in the 60s/70s....tons of professionals with young kids in just about every single household. Very safe and crime-free. Most of us our recent DC-expats.

[Anonymous]

Wow, this discussion went from having a beer while walking around the neighborhood to public drunkeness, bad parenting, police investigations, 911 emergencies, and autopsies. Can we say alarmist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't drink-- family history of alcoholism and enough ugly incidents in college to make me realize I'm not immune to those genes-- but if you read through this entire thread, as I must confess I have, it is rather evident that the people who imbibe are more fun. Non-drinkers, may I suggest you work on witty rejoinders? Insults, sarcasm, and hand-wringing don't count. Please! Convince us that it is possible to have fun, and be fun, sober!

The fact that people cannot have fun without alcohol is one of the first signs of alcoholism.

We're here debating using logic and facts. This is not supposed to be a joke. The folks trying to say there's nothig wrong with breaking the law and putting your children (and others) in danger need a reality check. And when it happens it will be too late.

I'm not against alcohol but it does have a time and place. On the street, at night, in the dark while you're watching over children is definitely not he est plac for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I regret to inform you that this licentiousness was not confined to NoVA. Many in Chevy Chase Md were also imbibing of the devil's juice.

Oh, woe! WOE!!

Fortunately, too bad we don't live in the Bible Belt, where the fundies have managed to ban Halloween altogether. It really *is* Satan Day!