Reply to 16 DS wants to try alcohol

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think it's a good idea for kids to sample alcohol at home under parental supervision, and NOT in a party setting, if it's accompanied by education on the short-term and long-term deleterious effects of alcohol. We're French and over there you can drink wine and beer if you're 16. In practice, kids are given sips at home no matter the age at family gatherings. Making alcohol a forbidden fruit concept tends to work against you in the long run.

We rarely drink, and my teens and young adults don't really like the taste of alcohol, but know what it is.[/quote]

I’m not French, but I was always welcome to try alcohol with my parents.  Granted, they weren’t really drinkers, but my mom occasionally had a margarita or sangria and my grandparents usually had alcohol on hand (wine, beer, cold duck, etc. - once they gave me apricot brandy to clear out my sinuses), especially during the holidays.  Having the occasional sip from a young age, long before any cool factor entered the equation, led me to conclude that I just didn’t like it.  Every once in a while, I’d try it again, only to realize that it really was as wretched as I remembered.  As an adult, I have very  rarely drunk anything.

My (grown) kids were raised the same way.  Although I didn’t drink, DH did, so the kids had alcohol accessible when they wanted to try it, which was rare, because they didn’t like it.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they drank a little in college or even occasionally as an adult, but I don’t think either would want to drink excessively, because they just don’t like it.

OP’s son is old enough that he may be influenced by thinking alcohol is cool, but since he wants to try it, I think it would be much better for him to try it in moderate amounts rather than at sone party.  Even if the parents somehow manage to discourage him from drinking at a high school party (which is doubtful), I guarantee that if he wants to drink he’ll drink in a couple of years at college, regardless.

Whatever you decide to do regarding drinking, OP, please stress for him to never get in a car driven by anyone who has been drinking (including himself), even if it “wasn’t that much” and they think they’re fine.  Offer to provide transportation (drive or pay for UBER/taxi) for him and any friends, no recriminations, you just want to make sure everyone gets home safely. [/quote]

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