Here's A Question for Everyone

[marsha123]

my husband and i drink .we do not drink and drive . we have 3 kids and have no problem letting them see us have a cocktail , we are over 21 so its perfectly legal!

 

[autumnpalm]

I don't drink at all (and I live in Canada so I am of legal age). I don't have a problem with it and the vast majority of my friends and family drink socially, it's just a personal preference. It's expensive, I don't like the taste and I hate the feeling of even being tipsy.

 

[ktfindora]

Around here, they treat-n-drink.

As for drinking..I try not to drink every day so as not to form a "habit" (my personal preference)....

But as long as you aren't drinking to the point of intoxication on purpose on a very frequent basis, what you drink and how often is up to you.

If you like a glass of wine or a beer or scotch on the rocks to wind down from your day--have at it. If once a year is all you prefer, be my guest.

But I don't understand why people look at their own preferences, reflect on others preferences and then draw conclusions that may or may not be accurate.

And while pregnant...welll...I'm counting the days until delivery.

Yes, my kids see me drink otherwise

They also witness me put on makeup...

They see me vote....

They see me drive a car.

They know that certain things in life are restricted privileges until one reaches a minimum age. Whether they will sneak things remains to be seen. But I don't understand the logic of not drinking in front of children if the kids cannot partake when there are many things I do in front of them that they either are not allowed b/c of law, or b/c I don't feel they are old enough (makeup).

ITA with all of this

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Oh crap....

We have an extensive wine collection.
A kegerator
and a newly acquired Margarita machine.

Certainly not a daily event, but a girl has to be prepared.

 

[landshark]

I rarely have an alcoholic drink as I mostly just don't like alcohol. I like so little of it in my mixed drinks that I may as well not have any at all. It's not that I haven't tried a bunch of different drinks over the years, I just never acquired a taste for alcohol and therefore no desire/interest. At 25, I feel like such an oddity when my peers enjoy drinking themselves stupid...

I figure as long as you consume it responsibly, there's nothing wrong with your kids seeing it. Alcohol has always been around in my parents' house and was never locked up, but it was only my dad who was having the occasional drink. Who knows, maybe I unintentionally took after my mom who also doesn't care for it and never has more than a sip...

 

[TaraLee4]

ohhhh....I don't do beer. or wine, usually. However, I do love me some Captain Morgan. I have a bottle of it in the house. I have bottle of the new Captain Morgan Lime bite too. We even have those pourer things that they use at the bar! My boyfriend is a fan of Wiskeys. He has probably a dozen or so bottles...people go places and bring him back stuff we can't get here.


We don't drink everyday, or even every other day. Usually if we have a night off together, we'll order a pizza, make a few drinks and curl up on the couch with a movie. No getting hardcore sloshed, No driving, No hangovers. Just a couple of young adults enjoying an evening together with some adult beverages.

I don't have children, but my brother and sisters are 9, 11 and 13. I don't feel as though i'm setting a bad example for them.

 

[charming23]

I do not drink very often and when I do it is only one of whatever I am having. I mostly only drink wine and beer with the occassional mixed drink.

 

[NHdisneylover]

How often do you drink alcoholic beverages? Is it a daily routine for you? Do you 'kick back' at the end of the day with a glass of wine or a beer?

Here's why I ask...

Many of my neighbors drink openly. In fact, the one thing that really shocked me was when I took my kids trick-or-treating in the neighborhood last fall and the parents carted around a wagon filled with a cooler of beer.

I just don't "get" the whole drinking thing. Occasionally, I'll enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail, but it's not an every day or even and every week thing. It is very occasional. But my neighbors seem to drink all the time.

And we all have kids in the pre-school to middle/high school age range. What does this say to them? When they see mommy pulling a kids' wagon with a cooler of beer - it makes me really worried for when these kids get to high school. They'll have access to it which will lead to unfortunate events...

I don't know. To each his own, I guess. But I'm trying to be a responsible parent and set a good example. One stupid mistake can ruin someone's entire life...and a kid that drinks too much can lead to a mistake like that.

Thoughts? Flames?

Thanks for reading...

First bolded part--There are lots of things many other people do that I "don't get." One example might be watching sports on TV. I don't get it. I don't think it is entertaining and I think it would be time much better spent going out and being active oneself. DH does not like it either. So, we don't do it. BUT I don't think there is anything wrong or irresponsible about people who do like watching sports. I don't think they are all couch potatoes or that they are setting bad examples of not being active for their kids. It does not occur to me to think that people who enjoy different things than I do are bad or irresponsible because of it

Seconded bolded part--DH and I want to set good examples for our kids regarding drinking as well. So we drink in front of them. We make sure they hear us discuss at dinner if I am up to driving before DH orders a drink (I almost never order one out). We talk about how much is ok (1-2 glasses) and how much isn't and that some people are much more affected by alcohol than others (and that this is why I only ever have one drink and DH may have up to three over an evening). When we have had parties where one or two people had too much to drink and no driver we had those people stay over and not drive home. The result is my kids are learning throughout their lives by seeing their parents actually doing so how to drink responsibly.

I drink a glass of win most weekend evenings. DH will drink a glass or two of wine at most weekend dinners and maybe a glass of beer with lunch as well. The kids go to the vineyard with us 2-3 times a year to pick up a few cases, tour the grape fields, etc. They always pick up some high quality grape juice while we are there. I think the example I set reagarding alcohol is a good one. I DO worry about the example I set regarding soda. I drink 2-3 glasses of Coke a day and that is a far more dangerous habit for my health than the alcohol is.

 

[Spoonful of Sugar]

First bolded part--There are lots of things many other people do that I "don't get." One example might be watching sports on TV. I don't get it. I don't think it is entertaining and I think it would be time much better spent going out and being active oneself. DH does not like it either. So, we don't do it. BUT I don't think there is anything wrong or irresponsible about people who do like watching sports. I don't think they are all couch potatoes or that they are setting bad examples of not being active for their kids. It does not occur to me to think that people who enjoy different things than I do are bad or irresponsible because of it

Seconded bolded part--DH and I want to set good examples for our kids regarding drinking as well. So we drink in front of them. We make sure they hear us discuss at dinner if I am up to driving before DH orders a drink (I almost never order one out). We talk about how much is ok (1-2 glasses) and how much isn't and that some people are much more affected by alcohol than others (and that this is why I only ever have one drink and DH may have up to three over an evening). When we have had parties where one or two people had too much to drink and no driver we had those people stay over and not drive home. The result is my kids are learning throughout their lives by seeing their parents actually doing so how to drink responsibly.

I drink a glass of win most weekend evenings. DH will drink a glass or two of wine at most weekend dinners and maybe a glass of beer with lunch as well. The kids go to the vineyard with us 2-3 times a year to pick up a few cases, tour the grape fields, etc. They always pick up some high quality grape juice while we are there. I think the example I set reagarding alcohol is a good one. I DO worry about the example I set regarding soda. I drink 2-3 glasses of Coke a day and that is a far more dangerous habit for my health than the alcohol is.

The pop is what I worry about too! I do drink alcahol in front of DD, but not daily and certainly not to excess. But I drink Coke every day out of habit, and I started worrying recently since no matter what I'm drinking DD (who is 1.5) will point and say "pop". Or if she sees a can of Coke she will say, "pop. Mama." Yikes! In my opinion, there's nothing inherently bad about alcahol as long as you're not abusing it, and I think DH and I model responsible drinking.

 

[sunnyday123]

Wow....a few of you here would assume I'm a "irresponsible" parent!


When we go to Disney, we always fly out early-like 6-7am early. As I am walking onto the plane, I order a rum a coke, and I have at least two-it's that or I would be the crazy lady who doesn't like to fly the whole 2 hours. Last time we went, the little monster sitting on his Grandmothers lap kicked my drink, which went down the front of DD. Kid smelled like a bar.


My family is German and Irish. We drink. There's an alcoholic or two in the family, but I'm not one of them. I absolutely drink in front of DD, and I do it responsibly. I never have one when I'm driving, and I don't get falling down drunk in front of her or otherwise. And every Halloween I make a hot chocolate with Godiva Liq. in it to take. She still calls wine, "Mommy Juice".

For anyone to judge anyone else for drinking in front of their children and thinking by not doing so their children won't drink, well, that's just naive and not gonna happen. Teach them responsibility, and give them the information to make smart decisions.

 

[Christine]

I don't drink at all. It doesn't agree with me. I wish I could drink. Sometimes I really need it.

I don't have a problem at all with what your neighbors do and I don't think it's irresponsible or setting a bad example. Now, if they were behaving recklessly while drinking and showing those behaviors to there children, that's a different matter.

 

[crz4mm2]

Not every day.

I like white wine.

One glass a day isn't going to hurt anyone, and if you drink red, it probably HELPS.

Oh, and my kids are grown

 

[DeniseinNS]

I drink maybe 2-3 times per year. My hubby might have a beer or two with bbqing in the summer or very occasionally after the kids go to bed.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

I don't drink at all.
But, I do have neighbors that will walk around the neighborhood with glasses of wine while their children play. It just looks stupid, and I live in very nice neighborhood.

 

[MushyMushy]

I would think the ones who are hiding their actions are the ones with problems. I think it's more responsible to set an example for your kids by showing them you can enjoy a drink without going overboard with it.

My parents didn't drink at all, so that made alcohol extremely mysterious and enticing for me.

 

[Mkrop]

I did my fair share of drinking when I was younger. Now we drink but very rarely. I enjoy drinking and do not intend to hide it from my kids. We do not make a big deal of it at all.

If DH is outside doing stuff on a Friday or Sat night he may have a beer with the neighbors.

The Dads do have the wagon or backpack of beer on Halloween.

 

[mlynn]

I have never really liked the taste of beer or wine. I once in a while will have a Kahula and creme. My husband is sober 3 years so we don't keep any in teh house. But we have no problem when friends come over if the bring there own.

 

[mjkacmom]

My kids see me enjoy a glass of wine almost every evening. For those that don't drink, do you ever enjoy a snack of some sort after dinner? I can honestly say that after I eat dinner, I never eat another thing. No cookie, no ice cream, no pudding... My glass of wine is my dessert.

As for the halloween beer wagon, it's done here. DH usually carries a travel mug full of beer, but I don't drink, because A - I don't drink alchohol until the evening, and B - I don't want to have to use the bathroom!

 

[luvmy3]

I don't drink at all.
But, I do have neighbors that will walk around the neighborhood with glasses of wine while their children play. It just looks stupid, and I live in very nice neighborhood.

Thats why they have glasses of wine. If your neighborhood wasn't nice they would be carrying their whiskey in a paper bag and that would just look stupid in your very nice neighborhood

 

[NMAmy]

Many of my neighbors drink openly.

I think this is kind of an odd statement. It reminds me a bit of my grandmother who made my grandfather (who liked a beer or two but was not an alcoholic) pour his beer into a plastic glass so the neighbors wouldn't know he was drinking and hid the beer in the crisper in case the minister came over. Why she thought that nice man would be in the fridge is beyond me.

Yes, I drink openly and in front of my kid. I'm one of those people at the World Showcase at Epcot walking brazenly around with a frozen margarita or a beer from Germany. I don't drink very often nor do I drink to excess but I do have one or two when I'm on vacation or I'll have a beer while sitting on the porch at home on a summer's evening.

I don't get hiding alcohol consumption from one's kids. That's more along the lines of alcoholic behavior than having a beer or a glass of wine with dinner. I've shown my kid how to drink responsibly by example.

OP--you stated that you enjoyed the occasional glass of wine. Why do you think that you're any different from your neighbors?