'Teach children sensible drinking'?

Question

In the news today - Parents should teach their children how to drink alcohol, according to a new report.

The report, by Liverpool John Moores University's Centre for Public Health, claims that sensible drinking is a life skill that must be taught.

It claims that teenagers who buy their own alcohol - either themselves or through an older sibling or friend - are more likely to be regular binge drinkers.

They are also more likely to drink in public places such as bars, street corners and parks.

Alcohol provided by parents, on the other hand, is more likely to be drunk in sensible amounts and under proper supervision.
It revealed that nine out of 10 drink alcohol, and 40% of those usually consume at least five drinks in a single session - which is classified as a binge. A quarter said they drink at least twice a week and half drink in public places.

what are your views on this?

those in the report were 15-16 year olds

Answer 1

I think it's a brilliant idea. Having travelled around Europe where a lot of countries don't have a minimum drinking age, the kids there see it as just another drink. This results in less binge drinking and it's seen as a social thing to have with food.

I had parents that would occassionally let me have wine spritzers with dinner as a teenager. My friends who weren't allowed snuck alcohol out of their parents liquor cabinets and went out and got hammered (yes, in public places).

It's all about education. And if it's not seen as something "forbidden" the draw to sneak around with it is removed.

Answer 2

I had to laugh at this article.
So....basically, the children of the Sixties and Seventies, the decades of rock and roll, excess, swinging, drugs and drink, are now getting upset at THEIR own children for going out and binge drinking?

Pfft...something smells badly of hypocrisy here. Plus the fact that half the binge drinking kids probably have binge drinking adults. Kids hate hypocrisy.
My late grandfather was a binge drinker - and turned nasty when he was drunk, too. Mum also drinks a lot. We're talking binge drinking in my family for the past 100 years at least. It's nothing new. I started drinking cider when I was about 14 - and my parents were cool with it. They used to make their own beer and wine, and if I asked to taste it even when I was 10 or younger they always gave me a small amount in a glass - therefore I never had to hide behind their back.

I drank a lot more as a teenager - but now in my twenties I will go 2-3 weeks without drinking at all, or perhaps a glass of red wine a night, then go out one evening and have 10 drinks - vodka, beer, whiskey, shooters etc. I suppose that would be classified as a binge!

Drinking is not the actual problem - it's what lies behind it. The answer seems straightforward, but it's not.

Why do people drink? The simple immediate answer is to get drunk and have a good time.

Think about it some more - people also get drunk to make themselves feel better, to have something to do, to escape their lives for a few hours, to forget about their miserable job and stressful lifestyle just for a few hours. Drinking is the easiest legal way to do it.

But saying all the above it's also worth noting that our work ethic in the UK is far more hectic and stressful than a lot of other European countries. Isn't it rather odd that the rise in binge drinking comes at the same time as the popularity in laptops, PDAs, mobile phones, and wireless technology? Everybody can be contacted any time, anywhere now - there is absolutely no escape from work, from stress, travelling is hell, "road rage" "air rage" "trolley rage" - no time to slow down and take stock of things.

This is not to mention all the crap in the media - the unsettling realisation that there are some people in the world who loathe us and want to blow as many of us up as possible, power-hungry, war-mongering idiots running the country, killer flu viruses, the taxes are increasing, gas bills, petrol prices, immigration....

People are more stressed = people drink more to escape the stress.

*shrug*

Work hard - play hard.

Answer 3

I agree with teaching them in that there are other benefits. Assuming their parents are willing to take them to a pub it will be the start of a social education. Not only in drinking sensibly but in being able to witness the effects on those who do not. If the parents drink then surely it is better that the children are with them rather than in the local park drinking to excess. This may also possibly temper the amount drunk by the parents themselves. My children's first experience was in a club for families and they would look forward to the experience. My view wouldn't suit all children as there are parents who simply don't care and see such an opportunity as one where they can drink and leave others to look after their children. If it is done at all it's got to be in a family and social environment where the focus is on the children.

Answer 4

Any thing a parent prohibits falls under the "Adult Thing" zone, and teenagers are very eager to try them. The more strongly a thing is prohibited, the greater is the secret desire to try it out.

On the other hand, if the parents introduce the kids to alcohol, it wouldn't be a mystery anymore... Further, the parent really gets to drink along with the kid and set an example as to what sensible drinking would be...

You want a drink, go ask your dad to make one for you. You don't normally find people stuffing themselves with so much food that they can't move, do you???

Remove the mystery factor, and you'll prevent most teens from turning drunkards...

Answer 5

it really is high quality, so long because the authorities advocates mothers and fathers coaching smart smoking as well! it really is a undeniable reality that eating expenses the NHS a lot more effective than smoking (alll those binge drinkers combating and so on). so some distance as i'm conscious no individual ever mowed each person down contained in the automobile cos they'd smoked too many Marlboro. Nor do human beings bypass abode and beat their spouses because they smoked too a lot, human beings do not beat the c**p out of one yet another on a Saturday evening cos they smoked too a lot both. Drink is a few distance extra risky than smoking yet all of us giggle when we see a kiddy eating from Daddy's pint glass. what number of human beings might want to discover it humorous in the experience that they said that exact same kiddy having a short puff on Daddy's B & H.

Answer 6

It is true that children should have the freedom of choice on matters adults sometimes make mistakes too. But it would be a petty to let a child destroy his own liver with too much alcohol from a young age. So the best thing is to teach children what to much alcohol does to the liver, and at the same time to give them free choice on that, that is likely to solve the problem.

Answer 7

When my son was about 16 & his friends came round I allowed them to have a beer (with the full consent of their parents). The result was that they didn't feel the need to skulk around drinking behind our backs.
Now neither him or any of his friends goes our binge drinking & I firmly believe that it is because when alcohol is freely given by parents (in moderation obviously) the mystique goes & it ceaases to be as much fun.

Answer 8

Of course its a good idea.
In France they do it from a very young age and they dont have the binge drinking culture we have.
As others have said anything that is banned by parents will have the child wanting it more. Teenagers rebel. If theres nothing to rebel against they wont.

Answer 9

they
seriously need to make up there mind what they think is best one minute its to stop them then to teach them how to do it properly these people obviously need a reality check it doesnt matter what a parent says if there childs gonna get drunk then they will do it with or without prents consent i think its better to tell your child about the risks of drinking and try to steer them away from alcohol i for 1 wont be giving my children alcohol and if other parents do they need there heads checking

Answer 10

I don't think it's a good idea !!! I would rather try and teach them not to touch it all !!! Let them see the pitfalls of alcohol rather than teaching them how to drink sensibly !!! I think it's a bloody crazy suggestion !!