12 year olds drinking O'Douls...appropriate?

[cornflake]

You still have to be 21 to purchase this in a grocery store or a restaurant. Trust me I live in south Louisiana and we drink from a Very early age. I am a corporate trainer for a well known "wing and bar" franchise, I've been to tons of alcohol classes put out by the beer companies that sell beer. It does have alcohol in it, even if it's a small amount. It's like lacing brownies with pot, even if it's a small ammout you have still digested it and it will be in your system.

The purchasing thing may be true for Louisiana but it's not true across the board.

Pot is illegal, alcohol is not.

 

[jewjubean]

Once again. I am just stating the fact that it does have alcohol in it. Just as I used a EXAMPLE with the brownies.

The only reason I mentioned how old you have to be is to purchase it is that in most instances you have to be of legal drinking age to Purchase it.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

FYI: my ex-husband never drank a drop of alcohol (or anything that resembled alcohol) until the day he turned of legal age. He is now 52 years old and is a recovering alcoholic of one year that has destroyed his life and is now sadly sober enough to realize it.

He was an alcoholic because his father, uncles, aunts, grandmother and grandfather were all alcoholics before him; not because of some pretend beer that he drank at 12

This stuff is not going to cause alcoholism. Its not going to cause teen drinking. Its not going to cause drinking and driving. Its just not. No more than taking a sip of dad's beer is going to, or ordering a virgin margarita is.

Lack of education, peer pressure, lack of supervision and lack of parental guidance=teen drinking. Family genetics=alcoholism.

I certainly can not disagree with your statement. However, I would tend to believe that a family that would be OK with a 12 year old proving his "manhood" by drinking a "manly" near beer most likely is already leaning toward an alcohol problem. Hence, my statement.

My opinion is most certainly biased in this matter. My cousin routinely gives his son tastes of his beer or his father's O'douls (recovering alcoholic father, currently alcoholic son) Ryan (the baby) has been having these tastes since he was 9 months old or so? Anyway, I would be willing to put money on it that one day he will also have a problem...

I can see drinking a virgin pina colada...that tastes good so a child would like it. A beer though... yuck. It has just a terrible taste. A child drinking that is more likely imitating his elders.

 

[cornflake]

I certainly can not disagree with your statement. However, I would tend to believe that a family that would be OK with a 12 year old proving his "manhood" by drinking a "manly" near beer most likely is already leaning toward an alcohol problem. Hence, my statement.

My opinion is most certainly biased in this matter. My cousin routinely gives his son tastes of his beer or his father's O'douls (recovering alcoholic father, currently alcoholic son) Ryan (the baby) has been having these tastes since he was 9 months old or so? Anyway, I would be willing to put money on it that one day he will also have a problem...

I can see drinking a virgin pina colada...that tastes good so a child would like it. A beer though... yuck. It has just a terrible taste. A child drinking that is more likely imitating his elders.

Where do you get the proving his manhood stuff? The kid was drinking the thing, we have no information as to motive or attitude.

I also don't see how that's leaning toward an alcohol problem.

And, as described by many people in the thread, some people do like the taste of beer. A friend of mine had her first beer at 11 at a family party and LOVED the taste. S Some people don't like the taste of wine, some people don't like cheese... lots of people don't like brussel sprouts, some people love them.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

Oh, I forgot about those electronic cigarettes! No way would I be letting them "smoke" those - what's the point? I know they help smokers cut down or quit, but what is the point for non-smokers?

I can actually offer a bit of an opinion about the e-cigs. My fiance makes "e juice" (liquid that goes in them)

He was able to successfully stop smoking by using an e-cig. He was able to gradually cut down his nicotine level to zero. Now he "vapes" just the flavoring (combo of glycerin, propolyne glycol, and candy flavoring)

He explained to me that smokers have an oral fixation, which makes quitting smoking especially difficult. The e cig mimics smoking by the feel in your hand, mouth, and the inhalation.

He would be the first one to discourage a non-smoker from vaping an e cig. I do believe that no smoker would like to encourage others to pick up the habit that is so difficult to break.

So yes, in many ways, an O'douls is much like an e cig... It still delivers the taste and smell of beer, with a miniscule amount of of alcohol.

 

[princessmom29]

Odouls has alcohol in it. It is considered "non alcoholic" because of the LOW alcohol content. If you look at the bottle it does state it on the bottle.

as I said before, the same amount of alcohol as your OJ at breakfast. We aren't talking aobut being uncomfortable with kids consuming OJ however.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

Where do you get the proving his manhood stuff? The kid was drinking the thing, we have no information as to motive or attitude.

I also don't see how that's leaning toward an alcohol problem.

And, as described by many people in the thread, some people do like the taste of beer. A friend of mine had her first beer at 11 at a family party and LOVED the taste. S Some people don't like the taste of wine, some people don't like cheese... lots of people don't like brussel sprouts, some people love them.

Again, asserting my own personal experiences in this...which I should not do, I suppose. In my family, a 12 year old drinking would put "hair on his chest".

I am not saying its right...in fact, it is terrible. We have a whole line of tragic examples because of this attitude.

But you are right, Cornflake. Perhaps the boy's mother was encouraging him to drink instead. (and as a mother, I would shudder to imagine that one)

 

[cornflake]

Again, asserting my own personal experiences in this...which I should not do, I suppose. In my family, a 12 year old drinking would put "hair on his chest".

I am not saying its right...in fact, it is terrible. We have a whole line of tragic examples because of this attitude.

But you are right, Cornflake. Perhaps the boy's mother was encouraging him to drink instead. (and as a mother, I would shudder to imagine that one)

Ok, you totally lost me... the mother instead? Instead of what?

Why does someone have to have been encouraging him? Maybe he saw it and wanted it? Kids want random stuff they see all the time and as it's just bad beer-flavoured soda, his parents said eh, whatever.

Maybe he's had some before and liked the taste. Maybe he'd had beer before and asked for a beer and his parents said no, but you can have this...

 

[jewjubean]

as I said before, the same amount of alcohol as your OJ at breakfast. We aren't talking aobut being uncomfortable with kids consuming OJ however.

Funny that you don't have a age restriction to purchase this orange juice.

 

[LisaR]

as I said before, the same amount of alcohol as your OJ at breakfast. We aren't talking aobut being uncomfortable with kids consuming OJ however.

OJ doesn't have alcohol in it until it starts to ferment. Nobody drinks OJ that is bubbling because we all know that it has gone bad. Food and drink can spoil and form different chemicals because they have broken down. I am going to assume most people in the world aren't purposely giving their kids spoiled OJ.

 

[luvsJack]

I certainly can not disagree with your statement. However, I would tend to believe that a family that would be OK with a 12 year old proving his "manhood" by drinking a "manly" near beer most likely is already leaning toward an alcohol problem. Hence, my statement.

My opinion is most certainly biased in this matter. My cousin routinely gives his son tastes of his beer or his father's O'douls (recovering alcoholic father, currently alcoholic son) Ryan (the baby) has been having these tastes since he was 9 months old or so? Anyway, I would be willing to put money on it that one day he will also have a problem...

I can see drinking a virgin pina colada...that tastes good so a child would like it. A beer though... yuck. It has just a terrible taste. A child drinking that is more likely imitating his elders.

Well, the taste would of course be your opinion. Not necessarily what the kid thinks.

As for "proving his manhood", who said that was what he was doing? I really don't think its fair to make assumptions about a family you do not know. It may have been a one time thing.

The child that you mention may very well grow up to be an alcholoic. But you should know that giving him tastes of beer is not what is going to make him that way. I agree that its not exactly helping the situation, but its not causing it either.

 

[princessmom29]

OJ doesn't have alcohol in it until it starts to ferment. Nobody drinks OJ that is bubbling because we all know that it has gone bad. Food and drink can spoil and form different chemicals because they have broken down. I am going to assume most people in the world aren't purposely giving their kids spoiled OJ.

OJ doesn't have to be bubbling or noticably bad to ferment. The fermentation process starts IMMEDIATELY afterthe juice is squeezed and yields trace amounts of alcohol within hours. Iti s NOT spoiled. Actually, the alcohol in a natural byproduct that helps preserve the juice. I realize most people don't want ot aknowledge it, but if you give you child fruit juice that is not freshly opened that day, you are in fact giving them trace amounts of alcohol. The reason no one makes a bige deal about it is that it is nowhere near enough to hurt them. Neither is the amount in nonalcoholic beer.

 

[princessmom29]

Funny that you don't have a age restriction to purchase this orange juice.

It is all about marketing and packaging. There is technically no alcohol at the time it is packaged, so it doesn't ahve to be labled as such.

 

[MrsPete]

The only way this could lead to alcoholism is if the person was already genetically predisposed to be an alcoholic. And drinking a near beer isn't going to make that or change that.

If your child has the genetics, then that makes it all the more important to be talking and educating, watching and listening.

Doing or not doing one thing isn't going to change anything, its a combination of all of it. Drinking a fake beer isn't going to make one iota of difference.

Disagree. Being genetically predisposed to alcoholism isn't a question of "yes" or "no". It comes in degrees. Some people are so strongly disposed towards alcoholism that any alcohol'll be devestating to them, and they'll be hooked almost instantly. Others have a weaker pull towards that behavior.

Regardless, glamorizing drinking, allowing "fake drinking" encourages real drinking -- at least in some kids.

 

[luvsJack]

Disagree. Being genetically predisposed to alcoholism isn't a question of "yes" or "no". It comes in degrees. Some people are so strongly disposed towards alcoholism that any alcohol'll be devestating to them, and they'll be hooked almost instantly. Others have a weaker pull towards that behavior.

Regardless, glamorizing drinking, allowing "fake drinking" encourages real drinking -- at least in some kids.

It may come in degrees but it certainly is not going to manifest itself because the kid drank a fake beer.

 

[MrsPete]

1. There is no "safe" smoking level IMO, whereas there are safe drinking levels - smoking is gross and I don't even want my kids to try it (all my opinion, of course!)

Actually, you can drink in a safer way, but no alcohol is actually good or safe for anyone of any age. It affects young people's bodies more heavily than adults, but that doesn't mean it's safe for anyone.

I don't like it. Why does a child that young need to mimic adult behavior? When I was little (many, many years ago) they made chocolate cigarettes - pink box for girls, blue box for boys. Looking back, I was being "primed" to smoke. *I* think there is plenty of time to experiment as a teenager, why rush it?

Kids're going to mimic adult behavior -- lots of play is copying adult behavior: Playing house, tending baby dolls, cooking, etc. The question is, why would adults allow kids to mimic NEGATIVE adult behavior?

I understand that. .. and it was actually part of my point. They will find a way to do those things on their own. They don't need encouragement from me. Does that make sense? I have a pretty liberal view about drinking. My ex is German and my parents allowed us to have the occasional drink growing up, before legal age. I just don't see the point of allowing a child as young as 12 to have fake drinks. And lets be honest, a yummy slushie type drink, like a virgin pina colada, tastes good. It can just be a yummy slushie and doesn't have to be promoted as a cocktail. But an O'doul's? YUCK! What kid would even like that?

So call it a slushie, not a virgin pina colada -- makes perfect sense to me.

I certainly can not disagree with your statement. However, I would tend to believe that a family that would be OK with a 12 year old proving his "manhood" by drinking a "manly" near beer most likely is already leaning toward an alcohol problem. Hence, my statement.

Very likely. A 12-year old who chooses a fake beer over a soda may well be trying to align himself with the adult men rather than the kids.

It may come in degrees but it certainly is not going to manifest itself because the kid drank a fake beer.

If it's JUST this one thing, likely there's no problem; however, it's rarely a matter of JUST this one thing. Families who promote fake beer for pre-teens are likely also to push overly-adult behaviors in other ways. It'd be interesting to know if this is a pattern within the family.

I can tell you that within my extended family, we had lots of negative examples and plenty of access to alcohol. My mother quietly and politely kept us from joining in, and none of us kids in my immediate family are alcoholics. My cousins, who share my genetics and who attended the same family parties, did join in from a young age -- their parents were fine with it . . . and several of them are alcoholics today. Two of them literally died from alcohol-related choices.

I don't think we're going to agree on this.

 

[luvsJack]

Actually, you can drink in a safer way, but no alcohol is actually good or safe for anyone of any age. It affects young people's bodies more heavily than adults, but that doesn't mean it's safe for anyone. Kids're going to mimic adult behavior -- lots of play is copying adult behavior: Playing house, tending baby dolls, cooking, etc. The question is, why would adults allow kids to mimic NEGATIVE adult behavior? So call it a slushie, not a virgin pina colada -- makes perfect sense to me.Very likely. A 12-year old who chooses a fake beer over a soda may well be trying to align himself with the adult men rather than the kids.

If it's JUST this one thing, likely there's no problem; however, it's rarely a matter of JUST this one thing. Families who promote fake beer for pre-teens are likely also to push overly-adult behaviors in other ways. It'd be interesting to know if this is a pattern within the family.

I can tell you that within my extended family, we had lots of negative examples and plenty of access to alcohol. My mother quietly and politely kept us from joining in, and none of us kids in my immediate family are alcoholics. My cousins, who share my genetics and who attended the same family parties, did join in from a young age -- their parents were fine with it . . . and several of them are alcoholics today. Two of them literally died from alcohol-related choices.
I don't think we're going to agree on this.

Well, sure if there are other things pushing the kid he is likely to drink (still will not make him an alcoholic unless the genetics are there). But, you know, even if fake beer or fake cocktails didn't exist then a family that promotes drinking is still going to promote it.

My ex-h that I mentioned before has a family like that. No fake anything for the kids but ex-fil and mil drank every single day of their lives, ex-fil would get up at 4:30 a.m. to go deer hunting and START drinking by 5!!! My two sons are the only ones that have escaped that family with out severe drug and alcohol problems. And ex-fil died because of alcoholism.

Again, my two sons are the only ones that have escaped with no drug or alcohol problems, no abuses of any kind. AND-I would allow fake beer or mocktails.

Talking, listening, advising, letting them see that its best to drink responsibily, letting them know the chances of becoming an alcoholic, etc. will help a child navigate the pressures of drinking. Disallowing or allowing a fake beer isn't going to push them down to a life of drinking and it isn't going to stop them from that life either.

 

[Wishing on a star]

LuvsJack, I am remembering some earlier recent threads and posts....
I think I am beginning to understand the emotion and 'justification' that we are seeing here.

Anyway, my view is that if something has to be so 'justified' it is usually because it is questionable at the very least.

 

[luvsJack]

LuvsJack, I am remembering some earlier threads and posts....
I think I am beginning to understand the emotion and 'justification' that we are seeing here.

Anyway, my view is that if something has to be so 'justified' it is usually because it is questionable at the very least.

I am not emotional nor am I justifying anything. This wasn't my 12 year old son, mine are grown.

 

[LisaR]

It is all about marketing and packaging. There is technically no alcohol at the time it is packaged, so it doesn't ahve to be labled as such.

So when my DD was little and used to run really high fevers and I would drown her in OJ to keep her hydrated, you are contending that I could have given her 10 O'Doul's and the outcome would have been exactly the same?