Kids and alcohol

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Comments

  • My daughter is the same age and she is allowed the odd glass. I would trust her not to do anything too stupid but that is not the issue for me. It is one thing as a parent to allow your kid a drink but to allow other kids to come with the knowledge they will have booze is not acceptable as you are responsible for them, not even sure of the legality of it. Also while my daughter is responsible it is others I would not trust - she could quite easily find herself in a bad situation ie teenage boys and drinking and if you don't know the parent can you trust their supervision?
  • It is legal Jeremy.

    According to Wiki:

    "Between the ages of 5 and 17, it is legally permissible for children to drink alcohol at home or at a friend's house with the permission of a parent or legal guardian."

    Surprised it's as low as 5 but there you go.

  • Hmm and Wiki is never wrong image Was that UK specific? 5 does seem rather low!
  • Yes it was UK specific, it lists drinking and purchase ages worldwide. But I've no doubt you could find the information elsewhere if you wanted to look.

  • It is 5 but its also part of the parents duty to ensure that the child is ok at all times.so it allows sensible supervised  drinking

    I can remember going to parties at 14.and seeing the girls that had not told their parents they were drinking or that there would be drink there.they would sneak out with different clothes to change into......take money to buy alcohol out......and afetr a couple of drinks did not have a clue what they or anyone else was doing..........

    I think its good that the kids tell you that there is alcohol etc.......but i agree that 14 is the kinda minimum i would consider and it would depend on the child............I would be much happier with them being 16

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    EKGO wrote (see)

    If you say no, she will find a way to go anyhow, whether to this party or the next,

    This is true - I learned not to even ASK.  Just go.  Deal with the consequences (being gated) later.

    seren nos wrote (see)

    hands up who was drinking alcohol outide their own house at the age of 14image

    Raises hand.

    I wouldn't have dreamt of telling my Mum there would be alcohol at a party (if I even told her there was party!), but people always brought some.

  • Wlikie, its a hard fact of life, work with your kids, or fight against them, and Parents don't win the fight

  • Nope. But I remember telling my parents the same story when I was 14 ...

  • I was drinking by 14.  It was pretty much certain that from that age that some of the kids at a party would have brought booze along.  Perhaps parents did turn a blind eye, or perhaps we were more discreet than we thought (I doubt it!).  Experimenting with alcohol (and, if they take your fancy, other substances) is a part of life at that age, certainly for many kids in the UK.  If it's not this party that she tries booze at, it'll be the next.  I'm pretty impressed she is open with you about the fact she intends to drink and I'd take that as a good sign.  I probably didn't fess up to my parents that drinking until I was 16 or 17, and I think then it was only because there was a hangover I just couldn't hide...

  • I didn't start drinking with mates til I was 16 - maybe things have changed but in the early 80s I'd say that was typical - I don't remember anyone drinking at 13 or 14 - in those days people didn't tend to go to a park to drink so if you couldn't get served in pubs (which admittedly was easier back then) you didn't drink or at least not often.   It's different drinking at home - I drank alcohol at home from very young - we'd get given whisky if we had a cold (my mum is scottish!) and on hot days dad would bring a big bottle of cider home for us boys to share.   In fact I've tried offering my kids alcohol and they don't want it or have a tiny sip and go urrrgh unless it's something like advocaat and lemonade at Christmas and that tastes like pop anyway.  

    My daughter doesn't want to drink at this party herself - though I expect she might have a bit if others were I don't think she'd have more than a taste.  She's actually quite pissed off her mates are taking alcohol because she thinks it'll spoil it.  It's just I don't know the guy where the party is taking place, I do know the girl has older brothers so for all I know there could be 16-17 year old lads there, just seems to me a bit young to be adding alcohol to that.   

  • Perhaps the wise thing to do would be to is have a friendly chat with the bloke and find out what his ground rules are and who else is likely to be there - presumably you can get hold of his number?

    Your daughter sound pretty sensible but I would always be slightly concerned about the presence of older lads I didn't know - unless everything was being properly supervised.

     

     

  • I did stop my son from going to a party a few weeks ago even though he is 17.............the party was around bonfire night ...and they were going to have fireworks......

    now i do not believe that fireworks should be for public sale and think that they should be restricted to official events.........

    so the thought of the mixture of teenage boys , alcohol and fireworks.........made me very uneasy..........

    so i said no and he accepoted it without a fuss.in the end the party was cancelled for some reason.....

  • SparklyHope has said it for me; I was brought up on being offered alcohol in moderation and I can take it or leave it. I have done the same with my 4 (youngest 15) and they seem to be able to to do the same. It is great that your daughter can ask and explain the situation. But; not knowing the adult would be a deal breaker for me. I would say no and explain that this is because I do not know the adult involved. Young people need to know about alcohol, it seems to me that the more you try to stop young people the more likely they are to make an un-informed choice to do so. You would be amazed how many people I come across who take drink and drugs with no idea what they do or how much you can take. The result is that they end up in a cell or A&E

  • I was brought up with a bit of wine with my dinner like the French would do. These days, well, I'm 27... I like a party, but feel grateful growing up I learnt to respect alcohol rather than it being a naughty thing to sneak at with friends in the park.
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