It's on the news this morning that they want to raise the age that children can drink within the home from 5 to 15. This is an absurd suggestion. Surely the whole point of allowing them to drink within the home is to get them used to the effects of alcohol, in order to avoid children being unable to understand what alcohol does to you? Raising the age will simply lead to more binge drinking I fear.
Alcohol Concern
- Thread starter PDJ
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I agree with you though, the minute you tell someone they can't/not allowed to do something its like a red rag to a bull shrug::
Desert Orchid
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The difficulty is that there simply isn't enough good sense among enough parents to know how to monitor and control the situation, in much the same way as they can't control the use of foul language or inappropriate media content in their own homes.
My daughter turns 20 soon. She's been drinking at home since she was about 14. Half a glass of wine with a special meal or a birthday party, some cava at Christmas or New Year, etc. She prefers soft drinks. She's wary about going out with some of her friends as she doesn't want to get involved in their binge drinking. She refuses to go on holiday with them.
I wish I knew she'd have the same attitude if we'd banned her from drinking until she was 18. Having said that, 15 seems a reasonable age. I'm not sure a child's organs can cope with much alcohol at younger than that.
I also know someone whose 14yo son had a wee bit too much to drink one night. He organised a binge in the house for the two of them and got the boy totally out of his skull. The boy was ill for days afterwards and couldn't face alcohol for years. It's not an approach I'd recommend.
My daughter turns 20 soon. She's been drinking at home since she was about 14. Half a glass of wine with a special meal or a birthday party, some cava at Christmas or New Year, etc. She prefers soft drinks. She's wary about going out with some of her friends as she doesn't want to get involved in their binge drinking. She refuses to go on holiday with them.
I wish I knew she'd have the same attitude if we'd banned her from drinking until she was 18. Having said that, 15 seems a reasonable age. I'm not sure a child's organs can cope with much alcohol at younger than that.
I also know someone whose 14yo son had a wee bit too much to drink one night. He organised a binge in the house for the two of them and got the boy totally out of his skull. The boy was ill for days afterwards and couldn't face alcohol for years. It's not an approach I'd recommend.
What a ridiculous proposal - I'd love to know how it would be controlled - cameras in our houses, perhaps?
What is perfectly acceptable for one child may not be for another. I know some five year olds that are more intelligent and balanced than many fifteen year olds! I'd love to hear the comments of the French and the Mediterranean countries on hearing this latest rubbish from our Nanny culture.
I would never have given my son spirits to drink until he was of legal age to consume them in public but was aleays happy for him to have sips of wine from our glasses when he six or seven or a very small glass of Guinness with his Sunday lunch (just as I was given at the same age by my parents and grandparents!), graduating to a full glass as he became a teenager.
On occasions, as an adult, I am sure he's drunk too much on a good night out and had the hangover from hell the next day but at 24, it's now a rare event and he certainly has never had a drink problem!
It will not prevent bad parenting and lack of proper supervison one whit.
What is perfectly acceptable for one child may not be for another. I know some five year olds that are more intelligent and balanced than many fifteen year olds! I'd love to hear the comments of the French and the Mediterranean countries on hearing this latest rubbish from our Nanny culture.
I would never have given my son spirits to drink until he was of legal age to consume them in public but was aleays happy for him to have sips of wine from our glasses when he six or seven or a very small glass of Guinness with his Sunday lunch (just as I was given at the same age by my parents and grandparents!), graduating to a full glass as he became a teenager.
On occasions, as an adult, I am sure he's drunk too much on a good night out and had the hangover from hell the next day but at 24, it's now a rare event and he certainly has never had a drink problem!
It will not prevent bad parenting and lack of proper supervison one whit.
Colin Phillips
At the Start
Can't see the logic behind this at all, and as Songsheet says, how the hell do they intend to enforce it?!?!
Desert Orchid
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Is this a chicken-and-egg situation, though?
The government would not need to think about taking responsibility if more parents showed proper responsibility.
As for France, when I lived there, it was very common for teenagers to have a glass of watered-down wine with their meals (with the family).
However, I get the impression alcohol abuse is on the rise throughout Europe. A young French ex-colleague of mine regularly drinks herself legless and basically says "it's what young people do".
The government would not need to think about taking responsibility if more parents showed proper responsibility.
As for France, when I lived there, it was very common for teenagers to have a glass of watered-down wine with their meals (with the family).
However, I get the impression alcohol abuse is on the rise throughout Europe. A young French ex-colleague of mine regularly drinks herself legless and basically says "it's what young people do".
archie
Senior Jockey
It was the pressure group Alcohol Concern that suggested it not the government. I believe there's already been some kind of statement that they've no plans to do any such thing.
Everyone has an individual responsibility for their child or children - if I were a Mum (or more likely now Granny!) I'd have brought my kids up the way my parents brought me up. I was offered a tiny thimbleful of sherry in the same way friends of theirs brought their daughter up to drink, from the age of six, with the weeniest amount at meals. This gradually instilled the idea of SOCIAL drinking - with friends and family, particularly in the context of a meal.
Sitting down with a bottle of Jack D is not what it's supposed to be about, neither is the 'I'm only doing what other people do' excuse. Glad to hear your lass has adopted an entirely individual idea, DO, and isn't going to run with the herd. One possibly stands to lose the odd 'friend' in that way, but who needs someone who doesn't appreciate your individuality?
Gareth's point is extremely valid, as not a childhood incident passes, it seems, without some parent blaming the police, the doctors, the school, Social Services, the Girl Guides - anyone but themselves for their laxity in instilling good old common sense into their child.
Sitting down with a bottle of Jack D is not what it's supposed to be about, neither is the 'I'm only doing what other people do' excuse. Glad to hear your lass has adopted an entirely individual idea, DO, and isn't going to run with the herd. One possibly stands to lose the odd 'friend' in that way, but who needs someone who doesn't appreciate your individuality?
Gareth's point is extremely valid, as not a childhood incident passes, it seems, without some parent blaming the police, the doctors, the school, Social Services, the Girl Guides - anyone but themselves for their laxity in instilling good old common sense into their child.
A
Ardross
Guest
It is best to listen to what is said . The Government has rejected the idea on the basis that there is no evidence that children who drink at home become binge drinkers .
Oops I see archie has said the same .
The French attitude is still more advanced than here though, DO. Fewer young French people binge drink and a large part of that is because they have gotten used to the idea of drinking as a social activity, and one to enjoy, rather than to chuck 10 pints of lager down your neck in 3 hours on a Friday night.
When I was a kid, at 14 I was a member of Young Farmers, and if we went to the pub (if?? - sorry - when......) I'd have half a larger and lime, maybe 2 halves...... These days kids drink bottle after bottle of alchopops, which don't taste like anything different than lemonade, and then wonder why they end up plastered!!
Colin Phillips
At the Start
".................they have gotten used to the idea.................."
Paul, please!!!!!! :rant:
Paul, please!!!!!! :rant:
Desert Orchid
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Well my ex-colleague was 23 when we worked together. She invited me round to her place for a drink before going out for a meal. We got through a bottle of straight Martini in about 10 minutes and another couple when we got back.
She spoke frequently about how that was how she spent her weekends although I suspect she was drinking Martini here because it is cheaper and stronger than wine. She mentioned frequently - and entirely matter of factly - getting through a bottle of vodka on a Saturday night in France.
I couldn't help imagining this extremely attractive young woman looking like a hag by the time she was 30.
A
Ardross
Guest
Well my ex-colleague was 23 when we worked together. She invited me round to her place for a drink before going out for a meal. We got through a bottle of straight Martini in about 10 minutes and another couple when we got back.
She spoke frequently about how that was how she spent her weekends although I suspect she was drinking Martini here because it is cheaper and stronger than wine. She mentioned frequently - and entirely matter of factly - getting through a bottle of vodka on a Saturday night in France.
I couldn't help imagining this extremely attractive young woman looking like a hag by the time she was 30. [/b][/quote]
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