Parents who allow underage drinking (method, legal, teens, wife)

[HappyFarm34]

I remember being 20 and being at parties where alcohol was available and my parents wouldn't even allow me have a sip of their spiked fruity drink or beer. Ironically, she allowed my brother do the opposite when he was about 20 hanging out with his friends.

I have one cousin and her parents allow her to drink socially all the time. She'll be turning 21 this year.

I think as long as it's done responsibly in a supervised setting and not letting them drive after the fact is okay. Letting them sample different drinks and not having an uptight attitude towards alcohol may lessen the curiosity and be be more responsible with drinking.

I've read articles online that households who forbid alcohol like it was some forbidden fruit, their underage children were more likely to have problems with alcoholism.

One thing I do agree on, is no alcohol should be given to their child's underage friends.

[Hedgehog_Mom]

I let my 17 year old drink in my house, in moderation. I wouldn't let any of her friends drink in my house, or let my daughter drink while she had friends over, or go anywhere when she's had a drink.

It's legal in my state for me to do this.

[2x3x29x41]

Once our children were out of high school (they all turned 19 the summer after their graduations) they could have a beer during social gatherings at our home*. Only Son#1 ever opted to do so. He was a partier, both in high school and in college (more so his freshman year than later). We were aware that he drank some in high school, as well as dabbled with pot. Son#2 started minor partying after high school - he was an athlete and it meant a lot to him, and our high school was zero tolerance. Daughter was the mellowest of them all and saved her partying for after turning 21 (she also had/has a long-tern boyfriend who was also mellow and a good influence on her).

We never did, and never would, provide alcohol in quantity (ie, more than a beer at a gathering), and certainly not to any underage friends of our children.

*Although I did not know so until looking it up just now, is is legal in Minnesota for an underage individual to consume alcohol under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian in the home of that parent or legal guardian.

[tottsieanna]

I think it’s different when you allow your kid to have a occasional drink with you “parents family” in the home. Now trying to be the cool parents and serving a keg of beer at their kids high school parties is not a smart idea

[txtqueen]

Letting me start drinking at 16 was one of the few things I didn’t disagree with my mom on when it came to raising me.

I was allowed to have wine with dinner, Smirnoff Ice on the weekends, I couldn’t leave if I had been drinking, my friends couldn’t drink (unless over 18) and after 18 I had to pay for my own.

And I was told that there wouldn’t be any getting black out drunk, ever, under her roof.

I’ve always been a very moderate drinker and the older I get the less I drink.

I’ll be employing the same methods with my future children.

[strawflower]

I allowed my children, starting around age 17, to have a glass of wine with us at dinner or some beer if we're grilling, etc. at home or at restaurants. It is legal in our state to do this. But I would never, ever serve alcohol to their friends, or allow underage individuals who are not my children to drink in my home.

[ncole1]

Originally Posted by HappyFarm34

I remember being 20 and being at parties where alcohol was available and my parents wouldn't even allow me have a sip of their spiked fruity drink or beer. Ironically, she allowed my brother do the opposite when he was about 20 hanging out with his friends.

I have one cousin and her parents allow her to drink socially all the time. She'll be turning 21 this year.

I think as long as it's done responsibly in a supervised setting and not letting them drive after the fact is okay. Letting them sample different drinks and not having an uptight attitude towards alcohol may lessen the curiosity and be be more responsible with drinking.

I've read articles online that households who forbid alcohol like it was some forbidden fruit, their underage children were more likely to have problems with alcoholism.

One thing I do agree on, is no alcohol should be given to their child's underage friends.

Usually alcohol in small amounts is pretty harmless, however, beware of "social host laws" that can impose tremendous liability on anyone who serves alcohol to underage guests or patrons.

[kygman]

My wife said when her kids were teens she would let them and their friends drink beer at her house. But the ones who drank would give her their keys, which she hid and didn't let them have them until the next morning after they ate some breakfast. Her reasoning was she knew they were going to drink, so she'd rather have them do it in the safety of their home and not out where they could have a wreck and hurt or kill themselves or somebody else.

I never drank in my teen years and still don't. Not against drinking but it comes from listening to some of my high school classmates who drank. I'd hear them on Monday talking about getting drunk on Saturday night and wake up throwing up all Sunday morning. I'm all for recycling but there's where I draw the line. lol

[buddy5]

Originally Posted by kygman

My wife said when her kids were teens she would let them and their friends drink beer at her house. But the ones who drank would give her their keys, which she hid and didn't let them have them until the next morning after they ate some breakfast. Her reasoning was she knew they were going to drink, so she'd rather have them do it in the safety of their home and not out where they could have a wreck and hurt or kill themselves or somebody else.

I never drank in my teen years and still don't. Not against drinking but it comes from listening to some of my high school classmates who drank. I'd hear them on Monday talking about getting drunk on Saturday night and wake up throwing up all Sunday morning. I'm all for recycling but there's where I draw the line. lol

Alcohol is a gateway drug. It is, and always has been, the most abused drug worldwide. The best predicter of future behavior is past behavior. Like smoking, the earlier you start drinking, the greater chance you will become an over user. Some people are more susceptible to alcoholism than others, the best thing for them is never to drink at all. Alcoholism is harder to quit than Heroin. Booze is legal, heavily advertised, and it's everywhere. The temptation to drink is infinitely more difficult than Heroin. Booze is on TV, in magazines, newspapers, convenience store windows, and almost every social event. It's almost impossible to avoid.

Don't let your kids drink, being a parent is much more important than being your kids friend!!!

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by HappyFarm34

I remember being 20 and being at parties where alcohol was available and my parents wouldn't even allow me have a sip of their spiked fruity drink or beer. Ironically, she allowed my brother do the opposite when he was about 20 hanging out with his friends.

I have one cousin and her parents allow her to drink socially all the time. She'll be turning 21 this year.

I think as long as it's done responsibly in a supervised setting and not letting them drive after the fact is okay. Letting them sample different drinks and not having an uptight attitude towards alcohol may lessen the curiosity and be be more responsible with drinking.

I've read articles online that households who forbid alcohol like it was some forbidden fruit, their underage children were more likely to have problems with alcoholism.

One thing I do agree on, is no alcohol should be given to their child's underage friends.

The research does not back this up.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4095821/
Does Adult-Supervised Drinking Help Teens to Drink More Responsibly? Not Really | TIME.com
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...-teen-drinking