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I didn't drink till 22~23 (tried lots, never found anything I liked).
The reason parents don't like it is many fold, the legality is the least. I'm related, through marriage, to a family who allowed their kids to drink at home. A son and his friend went for a drive, flipped the car and the friend was killed. Because of the alcohol, the father went to jail for 8 months. The family that lost the son were devastated, the surviving boy was devastated and had his life destroyed by the other family (they essentially forced him out of the state to finish high school though 'social' pressures).
From my perspective though, this is a unique tragedy. The REAL issue is that brain development doesn't finish until the age of 25 (boys, younger in girls) and alcohol consumption, Especially getting buzzed/drunk, screws that up. Drinking causes brain damage in the very literal sense.
This has nothing to do with legality, I think that's a dumb "law". Should be up to the parents to monitor that and the current law only exists because "parents" don't. Take away the stigma, kids won't really care about it. I say this from the perspective of being allowed a drink anytime my parents had one, all I had to do was ask. Granted, that was Very rare and usually my dad with a couple fingers of whiskey (still can't stand whiskey/scotch/bourbon).
I don't/won't have kids so I don't really care. Just pointing out different reasons why parents don't want their kids drinking.
I drank very little as a kid and still don't much. But I don't agree with criminalizing drinking. It should be up to the parents to control. The important thing is preventing kids from drinking and driving or drinking and sex, but frankly, the law against underage drinking isn't going to do that. They still will, and DWI is illegal, so now we've just added another charge but prevented nothing.
I honestly believe we could do more to prevent the bad things if it were more out in the open rather than hidden.
Started drinking socially around 16 as did most friends. I never considered anything wrong, but I made a point not to drink & drive.
In the 70s I felt it was more of a problem driving across state lines because of differing age limits.
Always felt the age should be 18, not 21. If these young adults can be trusted to join our armed forces to fight for our country, or to protect us as police, EMT, and fire fighters they deserve to be treated as adults.
I asked because parents act like it's the end of the world when they find out that their kids drink.
Sure. All depends how much and how often. Occasional one drink is probably fine. Hanging out with drinking friends and getting drunk every weekend is surely not. Wrong crowd can lead to many problems.
When kids are underage and living with parents, they should obey their rules.
I am in my 40's and took my first real drinks at age 14 (sipped some throughout my life). Do not regret it, I do not find anything wrong with it. My parents never cared because I never did anything wrong (aside from the under age part), and I grew up around the environment so knew what to expect and what to do and not do.
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