Parents Who Drink Alcohol While Taking Their Kids Trick or Treating...

[The Mystery Machine]

Children will follow the leads of their parents......... that is the exact reason that we have chosen not to drink-at all-since we have children. Oldest dd has just gone to college, never drank, and thanked us for the example.

Nice theory but that is not reality. My parents didn't drink and I partied till the cows came home. However everyone partied in my age group and frankly in the late 70's, early 80's alcohol was not viewed in the way it is today. Also we are in the midwest and drinking/drugging are huge part of the culture here.

I have seen plenty of parents that don't drink and the kids go wild in college.

My dd who is a freshman in college now doesn't drink however that is a choice she made on her own. We told her if she does drink to be responsible and not drive.

She has been around alot of drinking with family and in high school. Her uncle who is a big drinker (read obnoxious drunk) has been her example not to drink. So it goes both ways.

 

[kimmar067]

....sooooo, did those heifers arrive safely.....???

 

[ckay87]

I think one of the best things we can do is show our children how civilized people drink responsibly. I'm proud to show my kids (teenagers) when I'm having a drink and, at the same time, behaving properly and speaking civilly. They might even see me hand over my keys to my husband. This, IMO, is what we should be teaching our children about drinking alcohol. Not put blindfolds on them and pretend that people don't drink. When they then discover alcohol on their own, how will they know how to behave with it?

 

[Jane-in-PA]

I haven't read every single post on here, but I certainly get that the OP is in the minority on this subject! I can see both sides of the arguments, but I do agree on many points the OP makes. My kids are grown now, but I remember Tick-or-Treating with them and I don't recall any parents drinking along the way. It was totally about the kids in our neighborhood! Now I'm not saying there wasn't any parent carrying a beer or glass of wine. That I probably wouldn't have paid a bit of attention to. But.....at no house was there a cooler of beer for the parents next to the candy bowl (that floors me) nor did I see any adult pulling a wagon of beer or a rolling cooler. Maybe it's different today than when my kids (25 & 22) TOT'd, but I don't think stuff like that sends a good message. To me, it gives the message to kids that whatever activity you're doing, alcohol makes it more fun! I actually loved TOT'ing with the kids - no extra kick needed!

I'm not anti-alcohol or for hiding all alcohol from kids. I just think there is a time and a place. Someone mentioned earlier that they didn't consider holidays "for kids" or "for adults". Halloween may not be strictly for kids, but I think TOT'ing is. If you are invited to a Halloween costume party, I'm betting most people are not taking their kids, for good reason. It's probably an adult party, with alcohol flowing. So I think that for 2 hours or so, parents should be able to leave the drink at home and enjoy TOT'ing with their kids.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Well, I don't know about walking around with open containers, but it's not as if this is something new. It was understood by the small group of kids that I trick-or-treated with that our escorting dads would leave us on our own when we reached the M's house so that they could go inside and have cocktails. When we finished casing the M's cul de sac, we returned to pick them up.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

....sooooo, did those heifers arrive safely.....???

Not all of them. Some are dead, some are alcoholics that still party like they are in high school. My sisters BIL is going to prison in Jan for DUI in which he almost killed 3 people.

Drinking here starts in 6th grade and the heavy partiers are out in full force by 8th grade. It is a fine line to walk here. Most parents allow underage drinking in their home when the kids hit high school.

My dd was a designated driver alot.

 

[kimmar067]

Not all of them. Some are dead, some are alcoholics that still party like they are in high school. My sisters BIL is going to prison in Jan for DUI in which he almost killed 3 people.

Drinking here starts in 6th grade and the heavy partiers are out in full force by 8th grade. It is a fine line to walk here. Most parents allow underage drinking in their home when the kids hit high school.
.

...I was talkin' 'bout the COWS.... [ ]

 

[The Mystery Machine]

...I was talkin' 'bout the COWS.... [ ]

Oh I thought you were talking about the people.

I guess for me this topic is very real because you cannot escape drinking here. You have to learn how to deal with it.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm not anti-alcohol or for hiding all alcohol from kids. I just think there is a time and a place. Someone mentioned earlier that they didn't consider holidays "for kids" or "for adults". Halloween may not be strictly for kids, but I think TOT'ing is. If you are invited to a Halloween costume party, I'm betting most people are not taking their kids, for good reason. It's probably an adult party, with alcohol flowing. So I think that for 2 hours or so, parents should be able to leave the drink at home and enjoy TOT'ing with their kids.

There is a family in our sub division who throws a huge Halloween party for all the neighbors, their other friends and family. Adults and kids are dressed up and there is alcohol flowing. As far as ToT, there are adults who enjoy it just as much as the kids, otherwise there wouldn't be those houses decorated to the hilt, or the adults dressing up and answering the door. Halloween, like any other holiday is for everyone to enjoy it the way they want, and sometimes that may mean taking along a little treat for yourself and your friends. I'm a social drinker, not George Thorogood, I don't enjoy drinking alone

 

[RitaE]

Originally Posted by grumpeeduck View Post
Children will follow the leads of their parents.........

If "following the lead of their parents" means that when my sons are 40 years old they might have a beer while toting a pint sized Spiderman around the neighborhood block in a little red wagon....

Well then, whatever. I think I can live with that.

 

[jodifla]

You would NOT approve of our neighborhood, where lots of adults and kids TOT in big groups, and I saw the adults carrying lots of beverages, and spontaneous parties break out on front porches.

Heck, many years DH and DS end up getting invited in for treats for DS and drinks for DH. (TOT can take a really long time that way, though!)

But there's almost no traffic in our tight knit neighborhood, and no one was "drunk."

 

[ogreenlee]

It happens in the south. I would have had one in hand, had it not been for the umbrella I was holding b/c it was raining.

It didn't happen in my southern baptist neighborhood back in Smalltown, SC, but it definitely happens all over the suburbs of Atlanta!

 

[kafitty]

Trick or Beer!

As long as the parents aren't rip-roaring plastered (and aren't driving or littering or otherwise behaving inappropriately), I see nothing wrong with them having one or two adult beverages while taking the kids out TOTing.

Personally, I think our sociey has done our youth a disservice by teaching them that it is totally wrong to drink alcohol until the magic age of 21... at which time, it's perfectly acceptable to drink astounding quantities as long as they aren't driving and/or don't require a stomach pumping. It would be far better if we taught our youth about imbibing responsibly and appropriately than the current "alcohol is evil" treatment.

Nope, I am perfect. Give me a break. I am just saying I don't think it necessary for a bunch of adults to be walking down the street ILLEGALLY drinking alcohol when they should be watching their children.

a - b does not necessarily = c

Big difference in putting himself in danger vs. the kids. He would never even consider drinking while ToT so as NOT to put the kids at risk. You are VERY defensive... have you had your wine today?

that's pretty nasty. and i see you edited your post, meaning you actually re-read your post and intentionally kept that insult.

also, say he DID have a heart attack or some other problem related to having a drink in the spa (however unlikely). That, by virtue of the fact that it's their father, is still putting the kids at risk, yes?

Children will follow the leads of their parents......... that is the exact reason that we have chosen not to drink-at all-since we have children. Oldest dd has just gone to college, never drank, and thanked us for the example.

i disagree. though you clarified that there is more to it than just leading by example, here you are simplifying. i know plenty of people who's parents did not drink and implored their children not to, yet do so anyway (and often to excess).



i think adults are perfectly capable of simultaneously having a few adult beverages AND caring for their children. Sure, there are those that can't, but the vast majority can. i'm sure there are plenty of us who wouldn't even be here today if it wasn't possible!!!

also, i actually catered a small party for a couple with kids (age 10 & 14, i think), who had a bar & buffet set up for parents before they took their kids out this year. i thought it was a GREAT idea, and i did not see ANY parent acting out of control or even the slightest bit inebriated. What i DID see was a community of friends enjoying themselves, young and old alike - which they very well could have done without the booze, i am sure, but these particular folks just chose not to. Why judge?

 

[Scurvy]

My kids have not been taught to blindly follow all laws. They have been taught to only break them for good reason ("I want to" is not a good reason) but they get that not all laws are good laws (BTW we have not broken laws on moral grounds but have protested them-won't way which as it is against board guidelines, but for example the kids know that Rosa Parks and MLK broke laws which were bad laws in order to make a point and they are heroes partly because of their law breaking). Even on minor grounds I guess we have broken some laws knowingly and been okay with that. Specifically I am thinking that in New Hampshire we did serve the kids small glasses of champaigne at a NYE wedding held at our home. Technically that was illegal in NH (even served by parents at home). I was not sneaky about it--there was a police officer at the wedding; he had no issue with that at all.

You know, you're right. I hadn't considered that when I said I teach my son to follow laws. Of course I've also taught him that sometimes laws are wrong and need to be changed, like your Rosa Parks example. It hadn't really occurred to me that open container laws were on par with social injustices like racism, but if you think they are then you have a moral obligation to fight those laws! I had kind of assumed that most people who break open container laws were just doing it because "I want to" but maybe they were really objecting to those unjust and inhumane laws. They are heroes!

 

[Rora]

I personally do not drink and do not like to see a bunch of drunk adults frolicking around on a night that is already dangerous.

That being said, if parents are drinking and aren't making a scene and are attending to their children, I don't have a problem with it.

It's the obnoxious ones that make me irritated and angry.

 

[Jane-in-PA]

Our neighborhood had an awesome Halloween celebration in the 90's! Houses were decorated, there were several "rest stops" for kids and adults to get something to eat or drink, but the alcohol wasn't "flowing". Like I said, if someone was carrying a glass of wine or beer, I wouldn't have noticed in all likelihood, but I just have a problem with turning it into a keg party. I never said that parents can't enjoy TOT'ing - I certainly did! But why can't you enjoy something without alcohol being involved? That's where I see the problem.

Would everyone think it's OK to bring a beer wagon along to go Christmas caroling?

 

[lillygator]

What do you think mom and dad would do if a police car happen to drive by? Um, they would HIDE it. If they happen to get caught, they have just created a very awkward moment didn't they. Ahhhh the memories of childhood.

I can see it now 20 years later....Remember the time mom and dad were drinking on Halloween night....

hide it?? nope I would cheers!

Hubby thinks all the defensiveness on this Thread is derived from guilt from people maybe second guessing what they were doing last night??? He said he enjoyed taking the kids ToT'ing (safely) and then enjoyed his beer in the spa after they went to bed.

oh right - jealous? not at ALL - I am wondering how YOU were WATCHING your kids safely since you were keeping tally on everyone else....?
Parents Who Drink Alcohol While Taking Their Kids Trick or Treating...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When did this become okay? I saw soooo many parents drinking alcohol while walking the residential area with their kids. I saw parents with wine glasses and bottles of beer.

So, if you admit that one beer doesn't put you in the tipsy range, why all the angst that parents who have a beer or a glass of wine while TOT'ng have their parental abilities impaired?

BINGO!

Big difference in putting himself in danger vs. the kids. He would never even consider drinking while ToT so as NOT to put the kids at risk. You are VERY defensive... have you had your wine today?

snarky much, have you had yours?

OP if youreally think having a drink puts a child in danger, IDK, there must be some underlying issues there. Do you go out to eat where they serve liquor? Do you drink at any of the Disney parks?

 

[shortbun]

I don't think it's wrong to drink in front of children?

I think it's wrong to drink irresponsibly but a couple of beers whilst doing the rounds isn't a big deal.

It's NOT wrong to drink in front of children. I think it's wrong to turn a family/kids activity into an occasion to drink. Drinking is an adult activity; open containers have no place on the street while trick or treating with one's children. It sends a message that the adult can not or is not willing to make it without alcohol.

Several years ago, a dad of my son's friend showed up to get my son for trick or treating with beer on his breath and a few cold ones in his pockets. I changed my plans and went along. This guy had several stops of his own that involved a drink and left me with the kids. Who knows what would have happened had I not been observant.

Leave your beers at home and focus totally on your children for this two hour children's event.

 

[Nik's Mom]

DH and I grew up in Southern California. Neither of us have experienced parents walking around with alcohol while Trick or treating. You'd definitely get cited by the police because that is a big no-no to have an open container in public.

We've lived in Kansas for 2 years and noticed quite a few parents walking around with alcohol. We live in a subdivision and people seem to go all out for Halloween. It's a nice festive atmosphere. I have no idea if it's illegal to have an open container in public here. But I really didn't see anyone falling around drunk or acting crazy. Oh, there were a couple of tipsy witches who had some pretty potent witches brew. Wow, you could smell the strength just passing by them. I did notice them, but dh and I just kind of laughed because we would never see that back in our old neighborhood.

Personally, dh and I do not drink. I have a long line of alcoholics in my family, so we both choose not to drink. But I don't turn my nose up if I see people doing it. As long as they are responsible about it, are not completely drunk out of their minds, making a scene or breaking a law, I don't have a problem with people drinking while trick or treating.

 

[Acklander]

Would everyone think it's OK to bring a beer wagon along to go Christmas caroling?

LOL - actually, we usually do the cocoa & Bailey's while Christmas caroling.