Allowing your underaged teen to drink, your thoughts?

[Pigeon]

A glass of wine or a beer at home for my own kids, absolutely. Beer pong or other drinking games, absolutely not.

 

[KimR]

I allow my teen to drink at home, though she rarely does because she doesn't really care for the taste. However, I won't be providing it to her friends unless I have permission from a parent.

 

[gina2000]

A glass of wine is fine. We drink responsibly in our household and our child witnesses that behavior. We expect him to also drink responsibly and that starts with us allowing him an occasional drink under our supervision.

 

[BEloveDisney]

My mom let me drink at home starting when I was about 16. Not much and never if I was leaving the house or if anyone was coming over. A wine cooler or something nothing major. It honestly reduced the amount I drank in college because it wasn't a big deal. It worked out well for me, but as a drug and alcohol counselor, I definitely see the other side of it too.

 

[njcarita]

http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002591

thanks for the link..........

 

[mjkacmom]

I was allowed to drink at holidays around the age of 13 (wine with dinner), and at bbq's around 15 or so. I NEVER got drunk in front of my parents. I also went away to college, and couldn't understand the desire to go out to bars on week nights and drink. It was no big deal to me, since I could have a beer at home if I wanted to. I thought kids could drink legally with their parents. I would never offer another child alcohol.

 

[eliza61]

21 is the legal age in NJ. That's when I'll allow mine to drink in front of me.

 

[mjkacmom]

21 is the legal age in NJ. That's when I'll allow mine to drink in front of me.

Here in NJ, it's perfectly legal to have your minor drink in private facilites that don't sell alcohol, even if the parent isn't present, such as at someone's home, or banquet facilities that you bring alcohol into. Now, you can still chose not to let your child drink, but it's legal to serve them alcohol.

 

[golfgal]

We have offered wine and other drinks to the kids on occasions. They will take a sip or so, but not really anything more than that. I am sure when DS17 goes to college he will attend parties with alcohol and if he wants a beer at home, fine.

Like others have said it is PERFECTLY LEGAL to do so and I want to set an example for my kids that one can drink responsibly.

I do find it interesting that in several states having alcohol for religious purposes is illegal.

 

[jme829]

21 is the legal drinking age and they WILL NOT drink in my presence before that!!!

 

[themilesfamily]

When I was a kid, I was allowed to drink Grasshoppers over ice cream and my dad gave me a sip of beer once when I was 6 -- turned me off to beer forever, I thought it was gross. I never developed a problem with alcohol and it wasn't a big deal.

My DH -- his Scottish grandmother gave him shandy when he was little -- and he was a full-blown alcoholic by 15, sneaking alcohol, getting drunk and passing out, etc. There's a long history of alcoholism in his family, so there was more of a danger for him drinking. (He's a recovering alcoholic now.)

I guess there's just a difference in our genetic makeup. I think you have to take that into consideration.

 

[minkydog]

We allow our DD17 to have a little wine at New Years and special occasions or when we go out to eat. At home, she gets her own little glass but in public we let her drink out of ours(don't need some busy-body calling the law.) None of us drink very much anyway so I think this is a good way for her to try it out in a supportive and loving environment. Unlike my own experience, back when the legal drinking age was 18 and the whole point of drinking was to get blistered. My only role models were other smashed 18yr olds. Oy!

 

[N&B'smom]

Here in NJ, it's perfectly legal to have your minor drink in private facilites that don't sell alcohol, even if the parent isn't present, such as at someone's home, or banquet facilities that you bring alcohol into. Now, you can still chose not to let your child drink, but it's legal to serve them alcohol.

For me, whether it's legal or not makes no difference, my child will not drink alcohol in my presence until they are 21.

There are plenty of beverages to choose from so I don't get why it's such a big thing that people want their kids to drink alcohol especially underage.

 

[dhcoffey]

For me, whether it's legal or not makes no difference, my child will not drink alcohol in my presence until they are 21.

There are plenty of beverages to choose from so I don't get why it's such a big thing that people want their kids to drink alcohol especially underage.

 

[SDFgirl]

I would never allow my kids' friends to drink around me, but I would have no problem with my 18 or 19 year old having a glass of wine or a beer at a family dinner.

 

[tasha99]

I let my 17 year old daughter have the occasional glass of wine at home, but I would not serve her friends except the ones who are 21. I know one of her friend's parents serve her alcohol in their home, and I am okay with it. I figure kids are not suddenly adults at 21 and letting them drink when adults are present is better than never seeing how they drink and never being able to give them guidance. I also don't want drinking to be seen as forbidden, because whatever is forbidden is usually very appealing.

 

[Nancy]

Yes I would allow my 17/18 year old to drink in front of me. I would not allow then to get drunk, or supply them with their own 12 pack but a beer, glass of wine or even a margherita wouldn't be a big deal to have at a family party. I grew up in a family that let us teens have a drink here and there, not really a big deal.

I currently have a 17 year old..along with a 20 and 22 year old. I have no problems with them having a drink in my presence. I would NOT serve someone elses kid a drink though. At Thanksgiving I will let them drink the wines I am serving...my nephews could have some too if their parent allowed....my SIL will not so I don't even offer it to them. (which is funny because my SIL did her fair share of underage drinking.)

If I was having a party at my house where there were a lot of underage kids there none of them would be drinking. My kids could have a drink in a dinner situation but not in a party situation....at dinner I could keep track of how many times a glass is being filled...during a party there would be no way to watch the consumption.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

My mom used to let me and my best freind (with her moms permission) drink at parties as long as we didnt drive and didnt go out. We mostly stuck to wine coolers but we had hard liquor too sometimes. We never got drunk, I guess its all about how responsible the child is.

 

[Nomi]

I'm currently 19 (18 is the drinking age where I live) and my parents would allow me to drink small amounts of alcohol on special occasions during my teen years. I believe as long as the parents are present and it is in a private residence, this is perfectly legal. This would be things like small sips of wine, a small glass of champagne (or usually a small mimosa for me) on holidays. If I had ever asked them, they probably would have let me try beer or any other alcoholic beverage (in small quantities). I believe they told me that they would rather I try out alcohol under their supervision in a responsible way. But I never really had any interest in drinking, and have yet to ever get 'buzzed', let alone drunk.

 

[luvmy3]

I currently have a 17 year old..along with a 20 and 22 year old. I have no problems with them having a drink in my presence. I would NOT serve someone elses kid a drink though. At Thanksgiving I will let them drink the wines I am serving...my nephews could have some too if their parent allowed....my SIL will not so I don't even offer it to them. (which is funny because my SIL did her fair share of underage drinking.)

If I was having a party at my house where there were a lot of underage kids there none of them would be drinking. My kids could have a drink in a dinner situation but not in a party situation....at dinner I could keep track of how many times a glass is being filled...during a party there would be no way to watch the consumption.

I would have no problem monitoring consumption at a family party. When I say "party", I mean a gathering a get together, not a kegger I would never serve any other child not my own alcohol, even my nieces or nephews. If their parents were okay with them having a drink in my presence then the parent can serve them. I also wouldn't allow my child to drink when they had friends over, which is why I specifically said a family party.