Is letting children drink alcohol a harmless way to demystify alcohol or the path to excessive alcohol consumption?
It’s a question that arose in the wake of a shocking report from the World Health Organization which found that children in England are more likely to have drunk alcohol than those in any other country.
MailOnline asked two mothers from both sides of the debate what they think and why…
Parents should never encourage their children to have alcohol at home, writes CARLA BELLUCCI.
As a mother of four children, it would never have occurred to me to let them have any type of drink, even if it was just a glass of wine with dinner.
“Anyone who gives alcohol to their children must be held accountable for their actions,” says Carla Bellucci
Some of my friends let their kids have a drink from time to time, but not under my roof!
Anyone who gives alcohol to their children must be held accountable for their actions.
In addition to distracting them from their education, it can cause serious damage to their health and well-being. This is precisely why there is an age limit for alcohol consumption.
Furthermore, how could a child concentrate on everyday school life after drinking? We all know how terrible a hangover can be.
As a mother, I would never forgive myself if my children became addicted to alcohol because of my actions.
It’s bad enough with all the peer pressure they face on social media and older kids encouraging them to experiment.
As parents, we have a crucial role in shaping our children’s attitude and learning towards alcohol, and it should be positive.
A drink at home prevents excessive alcohol consumption at parties, while a teenager writes SHONA SIBARY
Every time I see news stories highlighting the culture of binge drinking among today’s British teenagers, usually accompanied by photographs of some poor girl holding a bottle of vodka and vomiting all over the sidewalk, I know with absolute certainty that this will never be one from my sons. .
But Shona Vann writes: “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if drinking isn’t taboo, there’s no need to hide it or rebelliously overindulge.”
You may be surprised to learn that the reason for this is not because we are a strict Mormon family and alcohol is prohibited in our house. Quite the opposite.
All four of my children have grown up with drinking as an accepted backdrop to their lives.
From a young age they were all taught to pour me a G&T (a three-finger measure if it was a bad day) and by the time they turned adolescence they were allowed to have a glass of wine or a beer with their weekend meals.
We have French family and this is completely the norm there. I once witnessed the end of a loaf of bread dipped in a glass of red wine and handed to a rebellious two-year-old boy.
My mother died of alcoholism in 2015, so my children have seen alcohol abuse up close and personal, but that hasn’t changed my approach.
Most of us drink to feel better at night, but people with alcohol problems drink to avoid feeling bad. There is a huge difference and my children know that difference.
Plus, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if drinking isn’t taboo, there’s no need to hide it or rebelliously indulge in excess.
My children see alcohol as something that enhances meals and social occasions.
When we drink together as a family there is always food, always laughter.
They have learned how alcohol affects them and what their limits are. And they have done it with us taking care of them, and it is not the first time at a party.
Because they have drunk with us at home, when they go out with friends they are in a much better position to know what they are capable of drinking.