General Chat

At 13 my parents allowed me my first alcoholic drink which was a glass of Kir. I was allowed the odd glass of wine with Sunday dinner after that. My friends were all at least a year older than me so at 17 my parents let me go clubbing every weekend though I had to work to finance it.

I was always the sensible one and never got hammered usually because I was too busy looking out for friends who got too drunk. Even now at the age of 33 I rarely drink and can count on one hand the number of times I've been hammered.

I watched my friends putting themselves in danger by getting so drunk that they couldn't remember what they'd done the following morning and promised myself that would never be me.

My parent's drink cabinet was never locked, and usually well stocked, alcohol was never made a big thing of. We were allowed a taste of wine or beer. So it was never a big deal, and never has been since. I was out with Dad one day and, sitting outside the pub, I half-jokingly asked him for a half of cider (I was about 14). He bought it, no fuss, and I drank it and then realised what effect it had!!

A couple of extended family members were heavy drinkers but, having seen how they acted when drunk, it put me right off!

Think we all agree that surely responsible parenting decides when your offspring is old enough,or are all parents not interested these days in what children are up to.

Think we were all monitored more and disciplined .I certainly was and brought mine up maybe a little more leniently,but there were house rules,

Our son went to a party when he wa 16 During the party the lad’s parents went out and a bottle of whisky was produced. Son was picked up by OH having thrown up on the carpet in the house (no sympathy from me they should have stayed in). He felt ill all night and has never touched spirits since although does enjoy a glass of wine when not driving. (He is 50 now).

Most teenagers need to rebel. If they’ve been exposed to alcohol in a controlled situation, the ‘shock’ value has been removed.

When my son reached 14 we allowed him on xmas day and new years eve a very weak shandy ,1 part lager 4 parts lemonade!! he only got the one and enjoyed it. The reason we did this was so that by the time he was 18, alcohol wouldn't be such a big deal.

As he reached 16 he was allowed 2 glasses of the same. he tried a little wine, sipped a tot of whisky then but hated both.

He is now 22 has the maximum of 3 pints during the course of a whole evening or say at a wedding reception and doesn't touch spirits. he knows that after 3 pints, he feels thats his limit.

my daughter is a type 1 diabetic and so has to watch her sugar. So she will have one small bottle of fruit cider or alcohol free cider and is happy with that.or she dilutes a weak glass of wine with sugar free lemonade and makes that last.

I believe because of the way I brought them up, they drink to enjoy not to get drunk. I'm not saying they will never get drunk as they are still young but they are both sensible.

As someone else said, if you ban it totally until they are 18, then suddenly they may rebel and make up for lost time!

Homelife can have an effect too though if you have heavy drinkers within the family, then I'm sure this may encourage the younger ones to follow suit. But not judging as this isn't always the case.

I rarely go out but when I was away in the summer, I met up with some friends and we went out for dinner. I was quite shocked to pay £6.oo for a glass of wine and £4 for a bottle of beer!! At those prices my next reunion will be in 2 years time when ive saved up enough to go out again!!

Everything in moderation is enjoyable :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Florence in the hebrides

Touché :-D :-D :-D

:-D :-D :-D :-D

One less if you stay indoors!

For me it is that great Australian Wine, Chateaux Cardboard, but never in the park: too many undesirables ;-) :-D :-D :-D

Sharron Allan...I'll have you know I only neck the better name brand cider these days in that respect I'm rich LOL :-D

:-D :-D :-D Sharron

No, Caroline, you don't want to hang about with your mum when you are out!

Many young people, and older ones who have grown into the habit, seem to think a night out is only successful if you get home blind drunk, and to get that way cheaply, they drink at home to 'get started'.

My son has had his moments but drinks sensibly when out and doesn't drink much at home either. He never saw me drunk and was allowed to taste wine at home which he didn't enjoy.

Some kids grow up seeing their parents drink heavily with friends at home and think it's normal to get drunk.

Lizx

Nope they didn't/don't hang out in the park necking cheap cider LOL

I have noticed with our Grandsons that they never drink when driving and, in fact, two of them hardly drink at all. (That is the Grandsons who are of drinking age (i.e.over 18) Granddaughter is only 15 she doesn't drink alcolhol.

Bet those who answered give their kids a small glass of wine with a meal from time to time, the ones who didn't probably let them hang around the park necking cheap cider in the evenings! ;-)

In my experience watching my kids friends they don't drink lager/beer these days they're straight into the spirits. Like Sharron said they get drunk every time, we couldn't afford to get drunk when we were their age! And no my kids don't as I've let them have a little wine with their Sunday/special meals and they hate it. One child can't drink anyway due to medicines another because he's driving always these days. They can't afford to go clubbing it all the time and I'm not paying them to go.

They drink at home as it’s cheaper from the shops. They don’t have to pay Club/Pub prices for the same effect.

We also offered alcohol when they were young. They certainly didn’t ask for it while teenagers. Any inebriation took place outside of the parental home once they were legally allowed.

Far better to introduce it under supervision.

Drinking is not like it was . When I was first drinking, strong booze tasted strong and old men drank it.

Now it tastes like strong squash with a lot of sugar in.

We would get rat-arsed sometimes when we went out, many now get that way every time and sometimes even before they go.