Giving Children Alcohol - seriously?...

[Andrew W.]

We let our kids have wine with dinner at home when we do. Small tastes even at young ages, in their own glass. And when we have travelled in Europe, they have had wine and beer/ale served to them in restaurants and at friends' houses.

I voted 14, but I realize that was a very US-centric answer. If we lived in Holland or Italy I would have voted a lot younger.

Our rules have always been one drink, and no driving (for our driver) afterwards. We have made the point that drinking is okay, getting drunk never is, and that drinking and driving should never mix. They are not allowed to drink away from us. If they are at a party and there is alcohol, they need to let us know. If the party is supervised and no one is drunk, we won't make them leave, but if there is drunkenness or alcohol is the point of the party, they need to come home. This has only happened on two occasions, and we allowed them to invite their (non-drinking) friends to come with them and hang out at our house as an alternative to the party.

Of the two, cars are much more dangerous than alcohol. We enrolled our older child in a driver safety course after he completed driver's ed and got his first licence, and I think that is something we should require for all drivers under 18. Regulating driving is much more important than regulating alcohol, and being a good driver is not just about driving safely, it is about what to do when the other guy isn't.

 

[akmom]

I took the "homeschool" version of driver's ed. Frankly, you get a lot more time behind the wheel with a parent than you do in a driving course. As long as that parent is licensed, they are going to know what to teach you. I cringe when they try to designate parental responsibilities to the public sector. Sure, make it an option, but don't "require" it. My parents taught me and I plan to teach my kids how to drive. What's wrong with that?

 

[cybele]

Didn't even realise there was such thing as drivers ed.

Here you have to log 120 hours with a fully licenced driver, so parent, friend, sibling, doesn't matter, as long as they are on their full license (you are on a provisional for 3 years after you get your license before you advance to a full license).

I like it that way, Dita did some hours with me, some with my husband, some with her grandparents, Azriel is currently doing the same.

 

[Xero]

I don't know the amount of hours anymore, but it's essentially the same thing here, Cybele. Driver's ed is like an optional course you can take just to help educate you on the basics and make you more aware etc. It's not necessary (I didn't take it), but it's certainly not a bad idea.

 

[IADad]

Wow, it's crazy - it's changed so much since I was a teen.

In Iowa, you can get a learner's permit at 14 with parental consent and by passing vision and written test.

Then you can get an intermediate license at 16. To get it you must complete 30 hours in class and 6 "lab hours" 3 of which must be behind the wheel. An intermediate license is held of r 1 year and the only real restriction is that if you drive between 12:30 am and 5:00 am you must be with a fully licensed individual who meets certain conditions. If you complete a year crash free and violation free, and complete 10 (yes 10) hours behind the wheel, 2 (yes just 2) of which must be between sunset and sunrise, then you can get a full license at 17.

So, with a negligent parent, who will just sign off on stuff you could get a licence with only 3 hours behind the wheel...scary.

I think you can only skip driver's ed if you wait until 17 and still have the parental signoff, or wait until 18 without parental signoff.

 

[akmom]

In Alaska, you can get a learner's permit at 14. It allows you to drive with any licensed driver who is at least 21 years old. Then at 16, you can get a driver's license by passing a written test and a behind-the-wheel test. It doesn't matter if you drove at all in the past two years, as long as you can demonstrate that you can drive for whatever police officer is available when you walk in to test. There are no restrictions, except that you can't sponsor someone with a learner's permit until you're 21.

 

[IADad]

In Alaska, you can get a learner's permit at 14. It allows you to drive with any licensed driver who is at least 21 years old. Then at 16, you can get a driver's license by passing a written test and a behind-the-wheel test. It doesn't matter if you drove at all in the past two years, as long as you can demonstrate that you can drive for whatever police officer is available when you walk in to test. There are no restrictions, except that you can't sponsor someone with a learner's permit until you're 21.

at least you have to drive for a cop, here, as long as you pass the written and can demonstrate you've been mentored they hand you a license. The examiners here for the few who do have to drive for an examiner (reinstatements, certain foreign applicants) are all DOT officers. It makes sense to use the cops who are patrolling the streets, much more efficient.)

 

[Avianmosquito]

The issue with alcohol is that the kids don't know what it does and the parents often fail to scale it down properly. Anybody who drinks knows one beer won't do anything to an adult, so they might figure that it won't mean much to their child either. Unfortunately, that child is much smaller so the effects are much stronger. Children also have stronger metabolism, which leads to even stronger, albeit shorter lived, effects. One beer, depending on the child, might be just enough to give them a buzz or it could make them throw up.

That said, one sip of wine won't hurt them no matter how small they are. Children have been drinking a single sip of wine with no ill effects in religious ceremonies for ages, and yes that's real red wine they use. It's not even enough for an addiction risk because even they won't feel the effects of a small sip. I still don't feel right about it, the whole idea feels wrong, but then again I don't feel right about alcohol in general.

 

[SheliaWilkerson]

Well i won't let them drink regularly..once in a month during a family gathering or something, i do let them get away with a glass of wine but never more than that. Remy is 14 and Toby is 16. I didn't knew what age to vote for.

 

[MarkLakewood336]

If you are asking legally, the age is 21. If you give a child under that age alcohol, you would be committing a crime.

 

[parentastic]

Actually, the legal age for alcohol widely varies in different countries across the globe. 21 is only in USA... and even then, it does not cover alcohol consumption in home, supervised by parents.

Full report from the International Center for Drinking Policies here

Interestingly, from this report, we learn that:

The United Kingdom is the only country that legislates a minimum consumption age in the home; they stipulate that alcohol may be consumed from age 5 with parental consent.

So, the question of if, and how, parents may or may not let their children have <I>some</I> alcohol at home, when supervised, is still very pertinent.

 

[cybele]

Curiosity, is the US the only country with 21 as the legal age? Every other country that I know the legal age in is lower than that.

 

[parentastic]

Curiosity, is the US the only country with 21 as the legal age? Every other country that I know the legal age in is lower than that.

According to the report cited above, Malaysia, Korea, Ukraine and USA are the only places with 21 years old limit, at least amongst the countries reported.

There are also a few at 20 years old, namely Norway (for spirits only), New Zealand (but children are permitted to consume alcohol at any age if they are at a meal with their legal guardians), and Iceland.

 

[cybele]

Wow, didn't know about New Zealand. That explains why my colleague who only moved here a month prior to last year's Christmas Party gave me a very strange look when I said that I stole me (then) 18yr old's tequila for the party.

 

[jimrich]

Were we right to have alarm bells ringing?

After the horrible mess alcohol made of my life and my dad's life, I do not enforce alcohol use for anyone, anywhere! I know how alcoholics, like my dad, want others to drink with them, hence the popularity of booze all over the planet but, in my case, alcohol is strictly out! Once you stop drinking, it becomes glaringly obvious why booze, along with many any other things, is UTTERLY WRONG and bad for us. I would not have said this back in my drinking and using days, since I just had to fit in and go with the "pack", but all booze ever did for me was RUIN EVERYTHING!

 

[bobspock100]

I just saw multiple references to age with regard to alcohol drinks for kids. one was a poll wanting a definite age. I cannot believe that a certain age is the correct way to judge when to allow alcohol. all kids are not the same. one may appear to be about 16 when actually is only 12, another may appear to be about 9 when really 14. each kids development level is different. to this extent, each parent/guardian has to use good judgment as to when to allow it. one occasion to do so might be holiday time when so many people will drink eggnog. I am referring to real eggnog that contains rum, not the new phony eggnog that is sold in supermarkets, etc. this would provide an opportunity to observe a kids reaction to a given amount of alcohol. I think I might give a small amount to a 5 yr old so he/she feels a part of things.