This. My son and his friends had free rein of the basement until he went to college. Part of being able to allow that was keeping DH's poker night alcohol locked up. I wasn't really concerned that my son or his core group of friends would drink then, but sometimes there were new kids who came to hang out. And you never really know. Also, I'm guessing a lot of the responders don't have kids in college yet. You would be amazed at the attitude shift in teens once they spend a semester at college where drinking and drugs are common place. My son is now a college sophomore and we're actually more concerned about potential drinking now than before because it seems like many of his friends just assume it's ok now since they've been at school (and many of them are 20). Not only is everything locked up but we've made it clear that they are not allowed to BYOB and we're considering increasing our supervision depending on who is over (e.g., popping down to say hi and look at what they are drinking). I actually wouldn't care if my 20 y/o son wanted to drink a beer while hanging out with family, but am not ok with taking on the responsibility of implicitly allowing under age drinking in my home. Many of you who keep alcohol accessible need to consider what your liability would be if a teen drinks at your house and then gets in an accident. I am rolling my eyes so hard at "we have trust instead of locks". These are teenagers and they are playing you. Get a grip on reality. |
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Bottle locks or locked cabinet. If you think your kid's friends are drinkers, don't be surprised if they get around your locks by bringing their own. Might need to have a talk to your kid about their friends. |
Those words all mean the same thing LOL. |
Hard alcohol keep in your bedroom as that’s the stuff it’s hard to track. And also is too easy to get dangerously wasted on.
I’d keep like cans or bottles of beer etc lighter stuff in that fridge and just keep an eye on quantities. You’d want it cold and I don’t think you should have to hide it away just bc kids are over who might steal it. Then if it actually happens, address that or make a change |
Ok after some thought I’ll add: I’d move the beer and such to the kitchen fridge, at least. |
So is your concern purely legal? If don’t get all the histrionics over a 20 year old and his friends when within a year they will all be 21. This is conduct of a parent who is concerned 15 year olds are drinking. |
So wait do you all not lock up guns either. You just say don’t touch.
They are teens. It’s one thing if you have a bottle of wine in the bridge but if you have hard liquor, you lock it up. I have a wine fridge that has a lock as well as a bar with a lock. They came that way. It’s normal to lock up liquor. The liability of a friend took/drank in your house even without your own kid’s knowledge and something happens to them? No thanks!! |
We collect wine. We put a lock on the door where we keep the wine fridges and moved the few bottles of hard alcohol we own into that space.
It took my parents 3 totaled cars to cotton onto the fact my brother was stealing liquor from their bar. Then they added doors to the bar and locked it. Too little too late, my brother was already any addict. Runs in the family, but no one wanted to listen to me when I told them he was drinking/smoking weed. You may think you have a good kid. He started at 12. |
My kids can't drink (genetic intolerance to alcohol), they know they can't drink, and I made them taste samples of alcoholic drinks to make sure they recognized it so they could avoid it. When you're intolerant, the taste is pretty horrible.
Their friends are reasonable, and policed by my kids. Not that we have a lot in the house, given only one of us is able to drink (me, and only a tiny bit before I hit my limit). It's all probably vinegar by now |
I grew up in a dry house and both of my brothers and I all ended up with alcohol use disorder. I’m in recovery now, but my parents not having it in the house didn’t do anything. |
We have a locked cabinet. |
That doesn’t mean you were good and other teens are bad. What a ridiculous comment. |
. I should add that we are whiskey lovers so it’s a lot harder to track that usage than people who store some beers cans in the fridge or wine bottles in a pantry. |
That is parenting! And op are worried about the friends getting into it. |