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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an upscale neighborhood in Alexandria, parents were passing out candy to the kids and beer and wine to the adults. As long as no one everyone is drinking responsibly, I don't think it is problematic.

Where is this? I want to move there.

[Anonymous]

I think I'm missing something. Aren't there open container laws?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In an upscale neighborhood in Alexandria, parents were passing out candy to the kids and beer and wine to the adults. As long as no one everyone is drinking responsibly, I don't think it is problematic.

We were there among the thousands of people, and it was a party! Beer and wine were flowing like crazy - it's a yearly Old Town Mardi Gras!

I am from New Orleans, FYI, there is a family aspect of Mardi Gras where people bring their kids, picnic on the neutral ground ('median' to most folks) and alcohol does not 'flow like crazy'. That's only in the Quarter and for some night parades.

I don't drink, but I don't mind that others do. I don't think OP is out of line, though, I would have been bothered last night seeing parents walking around with cups of wine and beer, and [b]would not have wanted my 2 yr old DD in that atmosphere. [/b]

Why would you have been bothered to see parents having a beer? or allowing your two year old to be around such an atmpsphere? assuming the parents aren't drunk, which I've never seen, why would it change your sense of the atmophere that some people are having a beer? I'm honestly confused by this reaction.

11:14 here, I feel any atmosphere where there is a lot of drinking going on, or a lot of people drinking, is an adult atmosphere and not meant for children. The OP said she saw lots of parents having alcohol; even in a family atmosphere, to me this would indicate it's not a time/place for a 2 yr old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In an upscale neighborhood in Alexandria, parents were passing out candy to the kids and beer and wine to the adults. As long as no one everyone is drinking responsibly, I don't think it is problematic.

We were there among the thousands of people, and it was a party! Beer and wine were flowing like crazy - it's a yearly Old Town Mardi Gras!

I am from New Orleans, FYI, there is a family aspect of Mardi Gras where people bring their kids, picnic on the neutral ground ('median' to most folks) and alcohol does not 'flow like crazy'. That's only in the Quarter and for some night parades.

I don't drink, but I don't mind that others do. I don't think OP is out of line, though, I would have been bothered last night seeing parents walking around with cups of wine and beer, and [b]would not have wanted my 2 yr old DD in that atmosphere. [/b]

Why would you have been bothered to see parents having a beer? or allowing your two year old to be around such an atmpsphere? assuming the parents aren't drunk, which I've never seen, why would it change your sense of the atmophere that some people are having a beer? I'm honestly confused by this reaction.

11:14 here, I feel any atmosphere where there is a lot of drinking going on, or a lot of people drinking, is an adult atmosphere and not meant for children. The OP said she saw lots of parents having alcohol; even in a family atmosphere, to me this would indicate it's not a time/place for a 2 yr old.

I guess it's just a different perspective. I don't have any problem with my 2 year old being around drinking. We'll have win at the table on thanksgiving, egg nog at christmas, beer at summer bbq's, etc. All of which are more than appropriate venues for my 2 year old in my opinion. I understand not wanting them around people who are drunk, but I don't think that drinking means it isn't appropriate for 2 year olds. I didn't realize that there were people who never let their kids be around any drinking. But I guess there are. Live and learn.

[Anonymous]

It would be terrible for children to see that you can drink responsibly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I'm missing something. Aren't there open container laws?

THANK YOU! And people wonder why newcomers to DC find the area full of entitled adults raising entitled kids. The issue isn't whether you were drunk while walking, which is not against the law, but the cavalier attitude to the actual law against carrying open alcohol off your property. I don't have a general problem with adults drinking on Halloween. I also don't think it makes you uptight to say it's not a great example for kids to be walking around with alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my neighborghood which is a nice one here in Charlotte, that is all the rage. I think its stupid and won't let my kids near that. We trick or treat on our own. It looked like the drinking crew were having a blast. Their kids were having a great time until "I", the one who was not drinking, grabbed one of "THEIR" kids before he ran out into the street in front of a moving car. I don't think kids and drinking should mix, especially on one of the most dangerous nights of the year.

Are you the chick who was wondering why she can't make friends? I think I know why...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I'm missing something. Aren't there open container laws?

THANK YOU! And people wonder why newcomers to DC find the area full of entitled adults raising entitled kids. The issue isn't whether you were drunk while walking, which is not against the law, but the cavalier attitude to the actual law against carrying open alcohol off your property. I don't have a general problem with adults drinking on Halloween. I also don't think it makes you uptight to say it's not a great example for kids to have adults be walking around with alcohol.

[Anonymous]

The most disturbing thing of all is that our generation doesn't know how to have fun without alcohol. Very very sad!

[Anonymous]

Lordy some of you are uptight. I'm pretty sure I was able to control my 3 year old while sipping my one glass of wine over a 2 hour span.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I'm missing something. Aren't there open container laws?

not in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's becuase my husband and I aren't big drinker to begin with, we're not againist it or anything we just don't drink, but I think the whole thing is kind of tacky. I don;t get why it is so hard to stya sober while taking kids out trick or treating. It makes me think the parents trying to hard to be cool or something.

I'm with you. And I was in a neighborhood last night where TONS of kids and adults were out, and I didn't see a single adult with an obvious beer or a plastic cup of anything. I don't think this is the norm.

[Anonymous]

VA statute (18.2-323.1) has two parts. Section A says that it’s unlawful to drink while driving. That’s pretty straightforward.

The portion that snags people is Section B. It creates a rebuttable presumption that the driver has violated the statute if:

1. An open container is in the passenger compartment,

2. Some of the alcoholic beverage has been removed from the container, and

3. The driver does or says something that indicates they’ve been drinking.

FWIW, I couldn't find anything prohibiting open containers outside of a vehicle unless it pertained to public intoxication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The most disturbing thing of all is that our generation doesn't know how to have fun without alcohol. Very very sad!

Not true at all. Speaking for myself and not an entire generation of course, but I had a blast last night trick or treating with daughter. Reading this thread, I also thought "now that would have been fun to have a little parent party going on at the same time." Doesn't mean I didn't totally have fun. Loosen up. It'll do ya good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most disturbing thing of all is that our generation doesn't know how to have fun without alcohol. Very very sad!

Not true at all. Speaking for myself and not an entire generation of course, but I had a blast last night trick or treating with daughter. Reading this thread, I also thought "now that would have been fun to have a little parent party going on at the same time." Doesn't mean I didn't totally have fun. Loosen up. It'll do ya good.

Agree. This was our first year taking our son trick or treating and I'm pregnant. DH and I had an awesome time without drinking. But after reading this thread, I look forward to carrying our big kid sippies in a couple years!