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- What is the youngest age to begin giving alcohol to your children, what quantity, and how strong? Is it OK if they get drunk?
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Name : BabyBoomer, Gender : Male, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I wouldn't give alcohol to your children until you're at least 46, BabyBoomer.User Detail :
Name : Rich, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 23, City : Grand Rapids, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,dont make a problem of it....we gave children here a little drop of wine with water if they want with thier food...even at an early age... the more problems we make about drink or any addiction the more children will be curious. my daughter is now twenty and has no probs in that direction or any, probably cos i didnt make an issue of them.... it is right they know the dangers of all addict things....as most things are today...tv ..pc..shopping ect ectUser Detail :
Name : poppy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : ADD chronic, Race : europe latin, Religion : pantheist, Age : 46, City : balerna, State : NA Country : switzerland, Occupation : carer,Well, the legal age for drinking in any state that I can think of is 21. So some would say 21 is the youngest-- and then they can go buy it themselves. I dont really agree with this. I remember when I was 12 or 13 my parents would let me have 1 glass of wine with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. And it was usually watered down with ginger ale. Really! Later, when I was 15 or so, they would let me OCCASIONALLY have a beer or glass of wine. Not too often -- maybe a few times a year. The idea was to allow me to get a little experience with it, under supervision, so that I would be less likely to begin drinking to excess when I turned 18 and could buy it myself. Or at least not constantly drinking to excess. Well, it seemed to work very well with me and all three of my sisters. When I turned 18, I would regularly drink scotch with my father. But I could only buy beer and wine (it was 1978, before the stupid drinking-age law was passed.) Again, it was under supervision- well, sometimes. Because I moved onto campus and would occasionally have the drinking bout with the other folks on campus. But generally, by then I had an understanding of alcohol and knew to be careful not to abuse it.User Detail :
Name : Wayne24397, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 43, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : marketing, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It truly depends on the age: If they are boys it is stereotypically assumed they want to do the same things that their dad does. Getting a kid drunk under 12 years old isn't a good idea, because it can have physical and slight psychological issues stemming from drug use at an early age. I think drinking alcohol is not only a right of passage, it should also be taught that too much isnt a good thing. If you want to show them what drinking is like under your guidance, it will show them a lot more than drinking in some abandoned house with their friends. Give them a few beers, have a few laughs, do something together and your kids will remember their first drink with their dad.User Detail :
Name : boltaction, City : BEAVERTON, State : OR Country : United States,I can't think of a single reason why letting your kids drink is a good idea. Alcohol is a major CNS depressant, is extremely habit-forming and leads to some genuinely horrible decision-making.User Detail :
Name : Dick-M, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 42, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I began drinking alcohol with my family from a reasonably young age, probably around 10 or so, when I discovered that I enjoyed the taste of wine. I would really only drink alcohol (almost always wine or beer, occasionally a sip of something stronger) with my family. It was a very healthy learning experience, and because of it, alcohol was never an unspoken taboo or mystery to me. I would occasionally get mildly inebriated (face flushed and very giggly, motor skills and balance becoming less acute), but my parents were always around to make sure I was OK. I never got sick from drinking but did wake up with a hangover twice.Starting at an early age is fine, as long as you moderate the quantity of liquor consumed. If a child begins to get very giggly, displaying the first stages of mild intoxication, it would probably be wise to stop them for their health above anything else. As they grow older, their ability to tolerate alcohol will increase. Teaching a child about alcohol from a young age is perhaps the best way to teach your child about drinking. A teenager who has gotten drunk with a parent knows exactly what alcohol will do to them and their friends at a party and will make much wiser decisions.
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Name : Matt22034, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Newton, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I wouldn't ever want to give my kids alcohol. I guess it's OK if your 12-year-old takes a sip of your Smirnoff once in a blue moon, but don't get a kid drunk. Leave a problem like that for when they're at least teens. I'd say 16 at the youngest. (Yes, we all know the laws, but we all know they get broken, too - don't hate me for telling the truth.)User Detail :
Name : Jenna31016, Gender : F, City : Concord, State : CA Country : United States,Giving alcohol to children is never OK in any amount, unless it's simply the alcohol contained in a doctor-recommended cough syrup or the like. Alcohol is incredibly harmful to children, as a lot of research shows, and underage drinking has a serious effect on alcoholism later in life, as well as a child's potential for success.User Detail :
Name : Jessica H., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 19, City : Miles City, State : MT Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,Alcohol is a neurotoxin, and it does kill brain cells, and people tend to drink more once they get drunk once, so I would not recommend allowing your children to get drunk. In small amounts it is OK, though. I have been drinking wine in small quantities since I was about 10 and developed an acquired taste for it, as well as knowledge on different types/vintages, so I think that it was useful. But again, I stress that alcohol is poisonous.User Detail :
Name : Elise, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Adelaide, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : high school student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I was raised in a Jewish home, so when I was a child, I was allowed a very small amount of wine on special occasions. My mom used a small shot glass, and it was never filled completely. I think I was allowed it when I became old enough to ask, I'd say around 5 or 6. I was never big into drinking, maybe because my curiosity had been satisfied, and I thought it tasted terrible!Regarding your last question (is it OK if the kids get drunk), that's a no-brainer: No. You should also be setting an example and not get drunk yourself. My parents only drank on special occasions, or sometimes at dinner, and I think they set the standard. I have three siblings and none of us are alcoholics, though I do have a problem with chocolate!
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Name : Susan27484, Gender : F, City : Canoga Park, State : CA Country : United States,I guess it depends on your background, and the responsibility of your children. My mother is French and grew up drinking wine, thus since I was 13 my parents poured a small glass of wine for me when I so desired. My family is also Jewish, and that may have played a factor in that decision. However, giving hard alcohol or even beer to children under 21 is, in my opinion, wrong. Drunkenness is not OK. Teach your children responsibility with alcohol. In this day and age of heinous amounts of teen drinking, educating your children about alcohol and preventing them from drinking it in large amounts is the best way to ensure their safety.User Detail :
Name : Nina20073, Gender : F, Religion : Jewish, Age : 21, City : Boston, State : MA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,My mother is half-French, and I lived most of my life in Hong Kong and London. She raised me like she was raised - a little bit of wine, usually diluted with water (about half), with dinner, and maybe a bit before I went to bed. As I got older, the wine got less and less diluted until about 12, 14 or so. My parents never gave me enough to get me drunk (a little buzzed during holiday times, maybe) and while the matter hasn't come up, I'm thinking they probably would have frowned upon it. While I don't have any children, I can say that my experience is probably pretty standard with many European kids, and my experience has left me a lot more responsible with alcohol than most of the friends I've made here. Have yet to get drunk, for example.User Detail :
Name : Juno, Gender : M, Race : Asian, Religion : Orthodox Christian, Age : 21, City : Richmond, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,My dad allowed us to have a small amount of wine at 14 or 15. Never unsupervised, always at the dinner table with plenty of good food. Around 16 or 17, we might be able to have a beer with mom while she watched football, but never alone; we had to be social. It had the advantage of taking the mystery out of alcohol and ensuring we didn't get drunk. It is not OK for children to get drunk or to drink hard liquor. It is dangerous and sets a bad precedent. If there is a history of alcoholism in the family, it's probably a bad idea to give children alcohol at all.User Detail :
Name : Arc23769, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Deist, Age : 40, City : Bloomington, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,OK, first off, alcohol is a drug. However, it is so prevalent in Western society, that they are likely to be exposed to it at some point and they'll want to try it. It is therefore, perhaps best, if you teach them at an early age to deal with it responsibly than it is to let them discover how harmful it can be on their own without your supervision/care. In Europe, the attitude to alcohol is generally much more liberal than in most other places. In France, it is typical for children to have a small glass of weak wine with their evening family meal from quite a young age - perhaps as young as 5 or 6. As a result, alcoholism whilst a problem in France, is not as prevalent as in some countries. Also, teenage binge drinking is almost unheard of. In England, where alcohol is seen a little more like it is in America, teenagers are actually allowed to drink in pubs if accompanied by their parents and if drinking wine with a meal, from the age of 14. This is hardly ever seen though and children are not expected to drink except on special occasions. In England, perhaps as a result, teenage binge drinking is almost an epidemic and teenage alcoholism is the highest in Europe. I was first exposed to alcohol to the point of getting drunk around 12 (champagne, a family wedding) but it didn't work with me - I ended up becoming almost alcoholic as an 18 year old, probably due to me not being regularly exposed to it as part of my normal life. I considered it 'special'. I would suggest that if you allow your teenagers at around 12-13 to have a glass of wine with the family meal on a regular basis, they'll have a mature attitude to the drug as a whole. If occasioanlly as they get older they have a couple more glasses, the feeling of drunkeness won't be the elixir that can harm them when they get to college. In my mind, that's responsible parenting.User Detail :
Name : Wiggy, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Manchester, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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