alcoholics :(

[Mrs Quackmore Duck]

I only drink occasionally myself. I thank god for that.

I see so many people that are alcoholics, its is so sad. So many lives ruined by this.

I was at a kids birthday party this weekend. I only knew the parents of the child. It was at a hall with tables around the room, the grandmother of the child's who was turning 5, yelled over to her ex the grandfather and held up a bottle of liquor all proud of herself, SHE WAS SPIKING HER DRINKS!! He was like YAAAAA. There was no bar there and grandfather also was drinking something and later the grandfather's girlfriend comes to talk to me and she almost knocked me out with her alcohol breath! She was a mess! This was on a Sunday early afternoon! They couldn't not drink at a kids bday party

I really felt sad and very uncomfortable there. I didn't stay long, I had to get outta there. I just couldn't watch it.

ETA: Sorry, I thought this was in the OP. It is not a judgement that they are alcoholics, they ARE alcoholics. It is no doubt. Not because they were drinking that day, because I know they are from their daughter who was raised by her Aunt because of it.

 

[Independent]

I only drink occasionally myself. I thank god for that.

I see so many people that are alcoholics, its is so sad. So many lives ruined by this.

I was at a kids birthday party this weekend. I only knew the parents of the child. It was at a hall with tables around the room, the grandmother of the child's who was turning 5, yelled over to her ex the grandfather and held up a bottle of liquor all proud of herself, SHE WAS SPIKING HER DRINKS!! He was like YAAAAA. There was no bar there and grandfather also was drinking something and later the grandfather's girlfriend comes to talk to me and she almost knocked me out with her alcohol breath! She was a mess! This was on a Sunday early afternoon! They couldn't not drink at a kids bday party

I really felt sad and very uncomfortable there. I didn't stay long, I had to get outta there. I just couldn't watch it.

Having a drink at a b-day party automatically makes you an alcoholic?

Uh-Oh, don't ever attend one of the birthday parties in our neighborhood.

The kids have their kool-aid and the parents are usually served a glass of wine or martini. It is the norm here to include parents in the party and for the parents to have adult beverages.

 

[NMAmy]

They're not necessarily alcoholics. I rarely drink myself but have been known to imbibe when I have to spend too much time with some of my relatives.

The adults also drink at the kids' parties in our family.

 

[korbbec]

Having a drink at a b-day party automatically makes you an alcoholic?

Uh-Oh, don't ever attend one of the birthday parties in our neighborhood.

The kids have their kool-aid and the parents are usually served a glass of wine or martini. It is the norm here to include parents in the party and for the parents to have adult beverages.

No, but sneaking alcohol into an afternoon child b-day party does. It is different when it is being served at the party. Needing to sneak it in to enjoy yourself is a problem.

 

[inaminute]

Maybe they shouldn't have been drinking at a five year old's birthday party, but how do you know they were alcoholics? That's kind of a harsh judgement on people you'd never met before.

Now, if you'd said they had a cooler full of beer in the back of their car and were passing out drinks at 10:00 a.m. right before a funeral (this actually happened at my mother's funeral), then I might agree.

But this was a party. Many people see a party as a time to...well...party.

 

[mickeyboat]

We drink alcohol at kids' parties, too. However, I would not bring a flask withme to spike my punch if it was not being served at a party I am attending.

Denae

 

[CheshireVal]

Doesn't sound like she was really sneaking anything to me. According to the OP, she seemed rather upfront about it.

Nothing in the OPs description smacked of alcoholism to me. It just seemed a little weird and judgmental.

 

[Fishbone†]

Having a drink at a b-day party automatically makes you an alcoholic?

Uh-Oh, don't ever attend one of the birthday parties in our neighborhood.

The kids have their kool-aid and the parents are usually served a glass of wine or martini. It is the norm here to include parents in the party and for the parents to have adult beverages.

Maybe the difference here is that the alcohol she was drinking wasn't being served at the party, and having a social drink and being sloshed at your grandson's birthday party is worlds apart in my opinion. Now, that being said, I have no idea if this woman is an alcoholic or not, but if the OP's description is accurate, her behavior would give me that impression as well.

JMHO

 

[ducklite]

We drink alcohol at kids' parties, too. However, I would not bring a flask withme to spike my punch if it was not being served at a party I am attending.

Denae

That's exactly my take on it.

Anne

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

I agree that it could be jumping to conclusions that they are alcoholics. I do believe, though, that it could possibly be a warning sign of a problem with alcohol. I have a family member who I believe is indeed an alcoholic who was recently asked to leave a child's birthday party for a similar reason.

 

[inaminute]

No, but sneaking alcohol into an afternoon child b-day party does.

We don't know it was snuck in. All we know is a grandmother offered her ex some out of her bottle.

I, personally, don't serve alcohol at children's parties because I'm concentrating on the children having a good time, but would have no problem with someone supplying their own. As long as there is a designated driver, that is.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I don't know of too many kids b-day parties that I've been to, where alcohol wasn't served to the adults.

I'd hate to think that outsiders were labeling us as alcoholics.

Even if it were slipped in, labeling someone with a disease is a little harsh. Labeling them as having bad taste is a little more accurate, in my opinion.

 

[tw1nsmom]

There's a big difference between having a glass of wine/martini/beer, and spiking your drinks to the point of inebriation. If you have to sneak alcohol into a place that doesn't allow it (that's the impression I got from the OP) and drink enough to become visibly drunk, then you have a problem.

I see nothing wrong with having an adult beverage at a party, even a kids party. However, once you HAVE to have a drink for it to be a party, and once you HAVE to get drunk once you do drink, then you have a problem.

Now, I know that I wasn't at the party, and I don't know what the OP considers drunk. However, based on her description of the incident and my personal experience at many family parties (lots of social alcoholics), I'd say that the behavior was innapropriate (could I equivicate any more?).

 

[Jennasis]

Inappropriate, yes...but it doesn't necessarily make any of them alcoholics. I do agree that if there was no alcohol being served, they could've done without. I remember when I ws younger, my dad and uncles would have a guys night out every couple of months where they'd go to the movies. One of them always brought a small flask to spike all of their cokes from the concession stand with...They don't do it anymore (that I know of..)

 

[freckles and boo]

Having a drink at a b-day party automatically makes you an alcoholic?

Uh-Oh, don't ever attend one of the birthday parties in our neighborhood.

The kids have their kool-aid and the parents are usually served a glass of wine or martini. It is the norm here to include parents in the party and for the parents to have adult beverages.

I can see both sides. I agree that not every party is going to turn into free-for-all, but I have also seen way too many childrens events (birthdays, Christenings, graduation parties) turn into opportunities for the adults to get sauced up and behave poorly. It is really scary when an over-cooked grown-up then starts piling the kids into the car at 2am because it is "getting late". It seems to be part of the culture here. Later the parent (okay, my SIL) is actually surprised when the police arrest her 16 year-olds for drinking at parties. Duh, they have been watching their parents drink socially their entire childhood. I personally think the two types of partying should be kept separate. Just my opinion.

 

[Independent]

Maybe the difference here is that the alcohol she was drinking wasn't being served at the party, and having a social drink and being sloshed at your grandson's birthday party is worlds apart in my opinion. Now, that being said, I have no idea if this woman is an alcoholic or not, but if the OP's description is accurate, her behavior would give me that impression as well.

JMHO

She never mentioned that the people were sloshed. Just that they had a bottle and were adding it to their drinks. And that one woman's breath smelled of alcohol.

How does anybody know that the host did not provide the bottle of alcohol. The OP didn't say the grandmother was pulling it out of her purse - just that she waved it at the grandfather. Was she just asking the grandfather if he wanted some? And she just saw the grandfather "drinking something." What was he drinking?

It depends on what slant you want to take on the OP's post. All I read was somebody having a drink at a party.

I just think the OP was quite judgemental on one incident.

And - oh my gosh - they were drinking on a Sunday

 

[U2_rocks!]

Hmmm... not sure I am qualified to label them "alcoholics", but yes it does reek of "need to drink" behaviour. I've seen people bring in alcohol to places that weren't serving it, but they did that because it was an evening event that usually would have had alcohol but for whatever reason it didn't (and these folks didn't like that). But in this case it was a kid's party, in the afternoon, at a place that you normally wouldn't drink. So in that case I do think it was going too far to bring the alcohol. And they didn't even try to hide it!! To me, showing off what you brought that isn't being served to anyone else is just RUDE!

 

[Mrs Quackmore Duck]

Having a drink at a b-day party automatically makes you an alcoholic?

Uh-Oh, don't ever attend one of the birthday parties in our neighborhood.

The kids have their kool-aid and the parents are usually served a glass of wine or martini. It is the norm here to include parents in the party and for the parents to have adult beverages.

They ARE alcoholics. It is no doubt. Not because they were drinking that day, because I know they are from their daughter who was raised by her Aunt because of it.

You can drink at a kids bday, sure, but this was NOT the type of party meant for that. they snuck booze in.

 

[C.Ann]

Okay - we must be the odd balls here.. We never serve alcoholic beverages at a child's birthday party - nor does anyone bring their own or expect it to be served..

 

[meandtheguys2]

Well, a couple of people brought their own to our wedding reception. We didn't serve because alcoholism does run wretchedly through our family. I wouldn't say that made them alcoholics. Nothing that has traspired in the 14 years since indicates that either.

Judgemental OP.