Teaching your kids how to drink

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age do you teach your kids how to drink? Is it a good idea? If they are going to college how to tell them when is enough?

Well, college kids are very likely to do drugs so better teach moderate consumption of meth and fentanyl as well.

[Anonymous]

My daughter and nieces drink when we travel and it’s legal, which means only with us before 21. It’s novel but not some super duper special or forbidden activity.

Frankly as all the parents are federal employees I expect they’re going to be more likely to experiment with pot since that’s something their boring parents don’t do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age do you teach your kids how to drink? Is it a good idea? If they are going to college how to tell them when is enough?

Wow. Just wow.

[Anonymous]

I feel like my parents taught me to drink - my mom and I took a trip to Europe when I was 18 and we had beer or wine with dinner or went out for a glass of wine in the afternoon nearly daily. When I was 16 we went to the Caribbean and my dad and I each got a daiquiri at happy hour once or twice. My brother had a big college graduation party at our house the summer I was going into senior year of high school and I definitely misjudged the Long Island ice teas - but maybe better with my parents and my brother’s friends (who very much treated me as a younger sister) than for the first time in college. I actually didn’t drink much in college and drink very little now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, my kids are preschoolers and I guess I'm "teaching" them to drink now, in that they know that alcohol is for grownups only, and that they see us never have more than one or two drinks, and usually in social occasions (like when we have friends or family for dinner or a party).

I'll start letting them have tastes probably around 12 (as my dad did) and their own drink once they seem to be done growing, around 15-17. With us, at home only.

Oh, and I'll also teach them the key things in high school:

1) Never drive drunk or get in the car with someone drunk.
2) Mom will always come and get you, just call.
3) Tell the police nothing. Tell the paramedics everything.
4) Never get drunk around people you don't know well or trust. You don't know anyone that well your first semester of college, so keep it to a beer or two. Wait until you have real friends you've known and bonded with for a few months and trust if you want to experiment with drinking more. And then look out for each other!
5) Watch your drink.

Please be trolling. Your third point makes you sound like a gang leader with a heart of gold. I have been raising my kids with age appropriate lessons. As to drinking, the legal age is 21, we have alcoholics on both sides (my kids have seen some of them ruin gatherings), I will not allow, enable or approve any underage drinking, etc, etc.

PP here. I can understand your position on not allowing, enabling or approving any underage drinking. It's not the path I will take, and it's not the path my parents took, but I get it.

But what's your problem with "Tell the police nothing. Tell the paramedics everything."? That's excellent advice, in all circumstances, not just around drinking. You should ABSOLUTELY tell your kids to tell the police nothing. I'm sorry, but unless you're in immediate physical danger, the police aren't your friends, and they're not there to help you. They will also lie right to your face to get you to confess to a crime. My friend's brother was arrested for public intoxication (out by the frats at his college) and the police did their "if you just tell us what happened we can help you" and he did and they threw the book at him. And by the time his parents found out, it was too late to do much. He didn't do jail time or anything, but tons of community service, and probation and it's on his record, which was avoidable if instead of telling the police the truth, he'd just said "I want to talk to my parents and I want a lawyer."

I’m sure your friend’s cousin’s hairdresser’s ex-boyfriend’s nephew was completely forthcoming about whatever happened when he was fall down drunk and did something stupid. The police don’t need a “confession” to charge someone with public intoxication. There is no breath test required to arrest a drunk idiot in public. With body cams it’s very easy to meet the standards of slurred speech, lack of coordination or erratic behavior. The penalty is generally a monetary fine if convicted. It does result in a criminal conviction on the drunk’s record.

If he had the proverbial “book thrown at him” he did more than stand around outside a frat hammered. Public intoxication doesn’t result in “tons of community service” or probation of any kind. This idiot deserved what he got, and he’s not being honest about what he did.

[Anonymous]

Eldest DC can home junior year very drunk ( got a ride from a friend). This was the first time I had any indication DC and friends were drinking. We had the proverbial don’t drink… don’t get in car with someone who has been drinking, etc.
It was a terrible experience for many reason. DC hadn’t drank previously and did not realize how alcohol would affect them… until it was too late.
In retrospect, I am ‘glad’ it happened before college. I started talking to younger DC differently after this and allow them to have an occasional drink at home (maybe 4/5x a year).

[Anonymous]

Over 21. And only if they express an interest. Research now tells us there is no safe amount of alcohol, so why push it?

[Anonymous]

I have found it worthwhile to explain why shots make you so drunk and why you should avoid them esp as a new drinker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eldest DC can home junior year very drunk ( got a ride from a friend). This was the first time I had any indication DC and friends were drinking. We had the proverbial don’t drink… don’t get in car with someone who has been drinking, etc.
It was a terrible experience for many reason. DC hadn’t drank previously and did not realize how alcohol would affect them… until it was too late.
In retrospect, I am ‘glad’ it happened before college. I started talking to younger DC differently after this and allow them to have an occasional drink at home (maybe 4/5x a year).

Junior year high school or college?