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

[ReneeA]

I guess I just grew up in a completely different time or something. That never happened in the neighborhood where I grew up. Now it's the norm.

I don't care if people drink, I really don't (as long as they're not driving), but do parents really need to drink when they're watching their children? There's plenty of time for it at home or after the kids are in bed. When your sole attention should be on making sure your kids aren't littering, running out in front of cars, and doing all sorts of other stuff, I kind of expect the parents to be fully alert, which doesn't happen when you've been drinking.

That's hilarious.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

I guess I just grew up in a completely different time or something. That never happened in the neighborhood where I grew up. Now it's the norm.

I don't care if people drink, I really don't (as long as they're not driving), but do parents really need to drink when they're watching their children? There's plenty of time for it at home or after the kids are in bed. When your sole attention should be on making sure your kids aren't littering, running out in front of cars, and doing all sorts of other stuff, I kind of expect the parents to be fully alert, which doesn't happen when you've been drinking.

Exactly... Thank You.

I guess our group was doubly horrible. Not only did the kids go out in a group by themselves to trick or treat (middle schoolers), but we parents were at home having a great dinner and several glasses of wine. So, not only were they not supervised TOTing, but they came back to a bunch of parents that were obviously not capable of parenting (BTW - the neighbors always comment on how polite our children are, so it is not as if we were allowing a bunch of hoodlums to ransack the neighborhood).

We even answered the door a few times with some of the parents in the hallway with their full wine glasses in hand as we all love to see the kids.

Oh, the shame of it all!

I can guarantee you that I am fully capable of being a full parent to my children after a couple of glasses of wine during the evening.

 

[Ohiodislover]

I can guarantee you that I am fully capable of being a full parent to my children after a couple of glasses of wine during the evening.

Some days a couple of glasses of wine is mandatory to be an effective parent

 

[MissFitt]

Wow, didn't know it was such an offense to some people...btw, in my neighborhood we accepted beers from a local police officer and part of our group was a candidate for town council in Tuesday's election (and I know politics is frown upon here so I'll just say she is a member of that grand old party)

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Some days a couple of glasses of wine is mandatory to be an effective parent

Isn't that the truth!!

 

[phorsenuf]

Drink or Treat!! We do it every year. We have one of those neighborhoods where everyone comes to trick or treat. We adults have as much fun (if not more) than the kids.

We walk the neighborhood with the kids - filling up at friends's houses along the way. We end up back at my house and my friend's house across the street. We don't get "drunk" - but enjoy a few drinks. There are two parents who do not like to drink, so in the event there's an emergency that inolves driving a vehicle - we have two very capable adults. After the kids trick or treat and we drink or treat, we have a huge buffet, the kids trade their candy, play manhunt, watch movies - and we adults get a night to socialize and enjoy each other's company.

Gosh, no different to me than grabbing a margarita or a beer while walking around World Showcase with my kids...

Anyone who is aghast by this is more than welcome to skip my house...

I want to live in your neighborhood. It sounds like fun!

 

[MAKmom]

My father drank a beer before he took us out trick or treating

Most people around here live in private communities so it is not against the law. We only have state police. I don't care if you have a few beers.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I had never seen this before until this year. But... I did not see a problem with it. DD and I went Trick or Treating with her bff's family. The neighborhood had it set up like a massive block party.

Massive - because it was many blocks! It was tons of fun and a great party setting. Yes, adults were drinking but I did not see one drunk the entire night. I did not drink because i was driving but if I lived over there I would feel completely comfortable walking around with a drink with my dd was trick or treating.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I think it depends on how much they're drinking....it would bother me if a parent had enough to drink to affect his/her reflexes when it comes to protecting his/her child (from cars, for instance.) Otherwise, it wouldn't bother me.

 

[luvmy3]

Drinking while ToTing must be a regional thing. I live in the South...and I've never seen anyone drink anything alcoholic while taking their kids ToTing (not that I see anything wrong with it).

Wow, didn't know it was such an offense to some people...btw, in my neighborhood we accepted beers from a local police officer and part of our group was a candidate for town council in Tuesday's election (and I know politics is frown upon here so I'll just say she is a member of that grand old party)

Sounds like she was

 

[MichelleVW]

I didn't say you shouldn't drink in front of the kids... but it is illegal to drink on the public streets here... and not all parents believe in alcohol, so maybe they don't want their kids seeing it??

Is that like not believing in Santa??

Sorry...the way you put that sounded funny to me..

I don't see anything wrong with trick or treating with a glass of wine....sounds lovely to me!

 

[EthansMom]

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.

 

[Magic Mom]

Their kids cringe when they see me drinking a Starbucks.

Then you should take special care to never drink it in front of them.

 

[mkymouse1928]

This is very common in our neighborhood, and I have never seen a drunk parent. My husband and I don't have kids so we aren't out walking around with alcohol, but we do have a drink or two while handing out candy. In fact, last night we had a whole party set up with several of our neighbors. We had a fire pit going and a buffet of snacks set up along with a cooler of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. As far as the legality of it, I don't know, but I do know that our neighborhood is patrolled heavily by the local PD and they have never said a word about it.

And this isn't a new thing either. I remember my parents and the other adults in the neighborhood having an adult beverage while walking with us as we ToT'd.

 

[Skywalker]

The only thing I walk around with for trick or treating is a cup of hot chocolate!

But there was one guy in the group who had a glass and he requested shots of any alcohol at the homes of anyone he knew...and that guy is one of my son's teachers, lol. I was just

It's all in good fun.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Gosh, no different to me than grabbing a margarita or a beer while walking around World Showcase with my kids...

Exactly. I'm glad my parents had no problem enjoying a drink in my presence. It took the grand mystery out of alcohol, which I believe is the biggest attraction to the underage in the first place. I saw many, many peers overindulge in alcohol as soon as Mommy and Daddy turned their backs, simply because it was exotic and forbidden.

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

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.

What she said!

 

[Nancy]

I have never seen or heard of rinking while trick or treating must not be something that is ever done in the area I grew up and live in now. Parents I saw last night had Tim Hortons or Starbuk cups...but no beer or wine that I could tell...unless it was in the coffee cups?


I must live in a very sedate neighborhood.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

I don't think it is a big deal. Just as long as they are being responsible. It is good for kids to see you relaxing, enjoying and socializing with neighbours. Better than not being involved at all.
These days people are so busy in their lives with home and work that opportunities to socialize like this with kids, neighbours etc are rare. So, I say relax and enjoy.

 

[golfgal]

So OP, you have NEVER had a drop of alcohol in front of your children, ever??? Wow!!! Sorry, I don't see that there is anything wrong with this what so ever. How is it any different than sitting at home having a drink? I think some people are in for a very long and stressful life if things like this bother them.