Teens drinking at Epcot

[mrsltg]

To the OP, I understand where you are coming from. However, I wouldn't let him drink in public. There are too many variables and too many people who could get in trouble. While I appreciate your attitude toward alcohol, in this case it seems it could be a problem.

I am the child of a first generation European-American. Liquor was never a mystery to me. All of the children had small glasses (miniature beersteins) from which we were given champagne on special occasions or a few sips of wine with dinner. There was never anything abnormal about alcohol and so we grew up to treat it as nothing special. Fast forward to my own children. Same thing. DD (5) has had alcohol. She has champagne on special occasions, sips of wine with dinner on occasion, etc etc etc. I've never understood the "not until you're 21 mentality".

 

[Licorice]

Disney will not serve alcohol to your 16 year old. What you do with your child is up to you, but please don't put Disney in a technical violation of Florida's laws by letting him drink on Disney property.

Huh? What law is Disney breaking if a parent lets a child drink? If anything, the parent is breaking the law. Please don't speak for Disney. I'm sure they are tickled to have your concern for them, but they are big boys and can speak for themselves.

 

[BigD1813]

NJBILL> I'm glad you put on your nomex suit because here comes the flame.

Youth and Teenage alcohol problems are a major concern to educators throughout the United States.

Being an educator gives you no right to comment on how people raise thier children. So this should not be your concern. Your concern should be teaching students that arrive at school ready to learn.

There are many parents who "allow" their underage children to consume alcohol both in and out of the home. I have heard more than one parent say "well I know he is going to drink, so i want him to do it at home",and accept this behavior. This reluctance on the part of many parents today to discourage the practice of underage drinking has created a huge problem in our society and in our schools.

You obviously think that allowing a mature teen to drink at home is bad parenting. I find that very offensive. My parents allowed me to try alcohol before I reached 21 and I really don't think they ruined my life. I'm now a young adult with a college degree and a good job. I'm currently engaged so I have had conversations with my church's priest. Each time he has remarked about my good morals and how well grounded I am. Almost everything good about me, I attribute to how my parents raised me.

You do not take your underage child to educate them on driving and put them behind the wheel before its time,why is alcohol any different.

I fear that your type of parenting might lead your 19 year old to act out in the ways that others have presented here. After all, real life experience is the best possible teacher. You don't give a person a drivers licence before teaching them to drive and expect them to be a great driver. Thats the same as making a person wait untill 21 and expecting them to know exactly how to handle alcohol.

 

[cleo]

Underaged drinking is illegal in the US. Not only are the parents breaking the law, Disney's license could be revoked for allowing underaged drinking on their property.

Regardless of what any of us thinks is 'ok', or who's liable, it's illegal for minors to drink in public.

 

[jctwizzer]

In the restaurants you might get away with it....at the outside counters you cannot buy alcohol for someone who is not present....even if you tell them they're in the restroom the CM's will refuse to sell a drink unless the person is present......I guess you could buy one and pass it on once you leave the counter, but forcing it to that extent is kind of stupid....IMHO

 

[Allison]

Huh? What law is Disney breaking if a parent lets a child drink? If anything, the parent is breaking the law. Please don't speak for Disney. I'm sure they are tickled to have your concern for them, but they are big boys and can speak for themselves.

Actually, I believe an establishment can get into trouble for a minor drinking on premises.

People speak for Disney all the time as far as what their rules and policies are. Get over it.

I don't see why the OP just doesn't say no in this situation. Why risk it? Does the teenager really need a taste of the margarita that badly? Save it for home instead of trying figuring out who is going to give him a sip without getting caught.

 

[jsmla]

I've always found that Disney enforces it's one drink/ID in it's own peculiar Disney fashion. I stood in the Margarita line while DH drifted off somewhere and they wouldn't sell me two drinks. However, I could order one Margarita, pay for it, pick up my drink, get straight back in line and five minutes later buy a second one while still holding the first, untouched, Margarita in my hand. I have no problem with the one drink per adult policy but I just don't see the point if this is how they enforce it.

 

[jjarman]

may i suggest you google "alcohol poisoning + toddler" because one sip *can* harm a toddler!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

to the op... i will concur w/those that said the only "problem" would be the cm getting in trouble...

Good grief! It was a sip. Mostly whipped cream. You and I know that is not going to hurt anyone, not even a toddler. For one reason usually those "girl drinks" as I call them have very little alcohol in them to begin with. A sip is not going to hurt the child.

As for the 12 year old, I am sure I did the same with my son when he was 12. We have always let him taste our drinks and the nastier tasting the better. He remembers how bad a strong rum and coke tastes and when he is 21 he won't get one. He has also tasted my husband's whiskey and hated it as well. I would rather he learn the stuff tastes bad now and not even want to mess with it later.

 

[Jenn0)))]

I'm 18.
There can be harm in letting your child drink, no matter what the age. It's testing the boundaries on what the parent can-or-can't expect.
As smart and as sensible as your children might be, the way you interact, even if it's just letting them have a sip of your drink, will effect them in the long run.
You give us kids an inch, and we will certainly take that extra mile. I'm not going to pride myself up and say I'm above this kind of behavior, because when I went to France I made sure I drank everything.
My personal thought is that letting your child drink is like opening up that possibility, like it's ok at that age.
The argument could be made that you're noly doing it to deter your kids away from it, but would you follow-through with that lgoic on everything? Would you let your kid smoke pot so he/she could see how much they hated it?
I'm sure a lot may disagree with me, but hey, this is just me.

 

[NJBILL]

Good grief! It was a sip. Mostly whipped cream. You and I know that is not going to hurt anyone, not even a toddler. For one reason usually those "girl drinks" as I call them have very little alcohol in them to begin with. A sip is not going to hurt the child.

As for the 12 year old, I am sure I did the same with my son when he was 12. We have always let him taste our drinks and the nastier tasting the better. He remembers how bad a strong rum and coke tastes and when he is 21 he won't get one. He has also tasted my husband's whiskey and hated it as well. I would rather he learn the stuff tastes bad now and not even want to mess with it later.

there is no relationship between the taste of alcohol and its use/misuse.

A 12 year old will not remember what whisky tastes like 5 years from now,and if he does, he won;t care when his friend hands him the bottle..

The idea is to TEACH children the dangers and rules of alcohol...Letting your child taste it is giving him an implicit or explict message that this is OK (this will be remembered)...which is part of the problem in today's society...

Parents are sending the wrong message to their children because they do not want to be the bad guy,or have their children rebel,or it's just easier,or they just are too busy to care....No is word too.

"Here Wally, why don't you and the Beaver come over here and taste my Martini.....but don't do this when you are old enough to drink" OK???
MMMMMM!! Gee ...Thanks Dad"

 

[gigi1313]

Good grief! It was a sip. Mostly whipped cream. You and I know that is not going to hurt anyone, not even a toddler. For one reason usually those "girl drinks" as I call them have very little alcohol in them to begin with. A sip is not going to hurt the child.

http://life.familyeducation.com/toddler/safety/42326.html

Toddler Takes Sips of Wine and Beer
Pediatrics Expert Advice from Dr. Shari Nethersole
Question: Friends of ours have a two-year-old boy who loves to drink wine and beer out of his parents' glasses. He's sometimes allowed to hold the glass and take large sips. Is this dangerous? He doesn't drink a large quantity, and I know that, in some cultures, children are invited to share in wine or beer at meals. If the quantity is small, is it still a risk?

Answer: It's absolutely not all right to have a two-year-old sipping wine and beer, and I would encourage your friends to stop this practice. It provides absolutely no benefit to the child and it can be quite harmful. While a few small sips of wine may not seem like much for a 170 lb. adult, that amount can have significant effects in a 28 pound two-year-old. It would probably take only two ounces (about seven child-sized mouthfuls) to reach a blood-alcohol level that exceeds the legal limit for driving! While a two-year-old isn't going to drive, he could get drunk very easily from these short sips.

Alcohol has very specific effects on the body that can be particularly harmful to a child. It causes the blood sugar to fall to levels that can cause irritability, confusion, and even seizures. It lowers the body temperature, and since children's bodies have such a large surface area relative to their weight, they lose heat rapidly and can become hypothermic very easily. Additionally, alcohol has very direct effects on the brain. Since most of a person's brain growth occurs during the first few years of life, repeated exposure to alcohol could interfere with brain growth and cause delayed development and lowered intelligence.

Probably the worst effect of this practice is that the child is becoming accustomed to and tolerant of alcohol. Two years of age is a prime time for children to have accidental overdoses, because they are curious and they don't know enough to stop themselves from taking something that is dangerous. A two-year-old, left alone for even a minute or two, could drink large amounts of alcohol out of someone's glass. What prevents most children from having a significant accidental alcohol poisoning is that when they first taste alcohol it's unpleasant, so they don't continue to take more than a mouthful. A two-year-old who likes the taste of alcohol would have nothing to limit him from drinking more, and alcohol overdoses can be fatal in children.

While I am also aware that in some cultures children are offered wine, those children are usually at least 8 to 10 years old, and the amount given to them is very small relative to their weight. Though I would prefer not to give alcohol to children of any age, at least this practice has less potential to cause harm than giving it to a two-year-old.

 

[Allison]

Good grief! It was a sip. Mostly whipped cream. You and I know that is not going to hurt anyone, not even a toddler. For one reason usually those "girl drinks" as I call them have very little alcohol in them to begin with. A sip is not going to hurt the child.

As for the 12 year old, I am sure I did the same with my son when he was 12. We have always let him taste our drinks and the nastier tasting the better. He remembers how bad a strong rum and coke tastes and when he is 21 he won't get one. He has also tasted my husband's whiskey and hated it as well. I would rather he learn the stuff tastes bad now and not even want to mess with it later.

As you said it was YOUR son. This is a niece. That makes it different.

Sip or not, it is wrong to give a toddler alcohol. I guess this one is a zero tolerance one for me. Obviously, others think it is okay.

 

[noseybuddy]

In the restaurants you might get away with it....at the outside counters you cannot buy alcohol for someone who is not present....even if you tell them they're in the restroom the CM's will refuse to sell a drink unless the person is present......I guess you could buy one and pass it on once you leave the counter, but forcing it to that extent is kind of stupid....IMHO

Not always so. My DH has bought drinks for both of us and I wasn't standing with him.

 

[noseybuddy]

I'm 18.

As smart and as sensible as your children might be, the way you interact, even if it's just letting them have a sip of your drink, will effect them in the long run.
.

Effect them how? My mom let me have sips of her drinks on occassion. There is nothing wrong with me.

 

[Jenn0)))]

Effect them how? My mom let me have sips of her drinks on occassion. There is nothing wrong with me.

An effect, not as in turning into a raging alchohoholic, but developing a subconscious conditioning of it being ok. Not just true for alchohol, but anything your parents let you do or participate in.

 

[mrsltg]

The idea is to TEACH children the dangers and rules of alcohol...Letting your child taste it is giving him an implicit or explict message that this is OK (this will be remembered)...which is part of the problem in today's society...

Parents are sending the wrong message to their children because they do not want to be the bad guy,or have their children rebel,or it's just easier,or they just are too busy to care....No is word too.

Alright, now I'm in. No, I am not sending the "wrong" message to my daughter by allowing her to consume alcohol in MY home. I believe the government is sending her the wrong message by being so freakin puritanical. I believe that it is ridiculous for a person to be eligible to die for their country but unable to have a beer. I believe it's ridiculous for a person to be eligible to vote for the leader of the free world but be unable to enjoy a glass of wine with their dinner. 21 is an abritrary and stupid rule. You are right, I don't like it. I don't agree with it and I won't tolerate or support it in my home. I also am not a believer that whatever the government decides is right. Further, I do not expect the local Board of Education in all its infinite wisdom to parent my child. None of these things has to do with an inability to say "no", a lack of caring, or not wanting to be "the bad guy".

 

[jjarman]

there is no relationship between the taste of alcohol and its use/misuse.

A 12 year old will not remember what whisky tastes like 5 years from now,and if he does, he won;t care when his friend hands him the bottle..

The idea is to TEACH children the dangers and rules of alcohol...Letting your child taste it is giving him an implicit or explict message that this is OK (this will be remembered)...which is part of the problem in today's society...

Parents are sending the wrong message to their children because they do not want to be the bad guy,or have their children rebel,or it's just easier,or they just are too busy to care....No is word too.

"Here Wally, why don't you and the Beaver come over here and taste my Martini.....but don't do this when you are old enough to drink" OK???
MMMMMM!! Gee ...Thanks Dad"

We send our son the message that if you are going to drink you do it responsibly. That is what he sees his parents and their friends do. I know plenty of kids whose parents never drank and they never had exposure to any alcohol. When they got old enough they drank like a fish. I also know kids whose parents let them drink at home but the parents got drunk as Cooter Brown. Those kids don't drink responsibly either. My point is we teach our kids to drive, the balance a check book, to do other things in life. Why would we then turn them out in the world where they can buy alcohol and expect them to know how to handle that?

 

[jjarman]

http://life.familyeducation.com/toddler/safety/42326.html

Toddler Takes Sips of Wine and Beer
Pediatrics Expert Advice from Dr. Shari Nethersole
Question: Friends of ours have a two-year-old boy who loves to drink wine and beer out of his parents' glasses. He's sometimes allowed to hold the glass and take large sips. Is this dangerous? He doesn't drink a large quantity, and I know that, in some cultures, children are invited to share in wine or beer at meals. If the quantity is small, is it still a risk?

Answer: It's absolutely not all right to have a two-year-old sipping wine and beer, and I would encourage your friends to stop this practice. It provides absolutely no benefit to the child and it can be quite harmful. While a few small sips of wine may not seem like much for a 170 lb. adult, that amount can have significant effects in a 28 pound two-year-old. It would probably take only two ounces (about seven child-sized mouthfuls) to reach a blood-alcohol level that exceeds the legal limit for driving! While a two-year-old isn't going to drive, he could get drunk very easily from these short sips.

Alcohol has very specific effects on the body that can be particularly harmful to a child. It causes the blood sugar to fall to levels that can cause irritability, confusion, and even seizures. It lowers the body temperature, and since children's bodies have such a large surface area relative to their weight, they lose heat rapidly and can become hypothermic very easily. Additionally, alcohol has very direct effects on the brain. Since most of a person's brain growth occurs during the first few years of life, repeated exposure to alcohol could interfere with brain growth and cause delayed development and lowered intelligence.

Probably the worst effect of this practice is that the child is becoming accustomed to and tolerant of alcohol. Two years of age is a prime time for children to have accidental overdoses, because they are curious and they don't know enough to stop themselves from taking something that is dangerous. A two-year-old, left alone for even a minute or two, could drink large amounts of alcohol out of someone's glass. What prevents most children from having a significant accidental alcohol poisoning is that when they first taste alcohol it's unpleasant, so they don't continue to take more than a mouthful. A two-year-old who likes the taste of alcohol would have nothing to limit him from drinking more, and alcohol overdoses can be fatal in children.

While I am also aware that in some cultures children are offered wine, those children are usually at least 8 to 10 years old, and the amount given to them is very small relative to their weight. Though I would prefer not to give alcohol to children of any age, at least this practice has less potential to cause harm than giving it to a two-year-old.

I would never let any toddler take a sip of wine or beer. But don't you think that is a little different than a sip of a fruity drink that has alcohol in it? Why quote an article that is vastly different than the incident we are discussing just to exaggerate your point?

 

[mattsdragon]

We send our son the message that if you are going to drink you do it responsibly. That is what he sees his parents and their friends do. I know plenty of kids whose parents never drank and they never had exposure to any alcohol. When they got old enough they drank like a fish. I also know kids whose parents let them drink at home but the parents got drunk as Cooter Brown. Those kids don't drink responsibly either. My point is we teach our kids to drive, the balance a check book, to do other things in life. Why would we then turn them out in the world where they can buy alcohol and expect them to know how to handle that?

You mean this guy. . .

His last name was Dupree, and I don't think he drank, just occasionally helped the Duke boys run a little 'shine.

 

[Evil Queen]

I know I should know better than to post this but here goes. Some background: DH and I drink occasionally at home or in a restaurant. We don't get drunk, we aren't alcoholics, and we are pretty good parents. DS is almost 16 and will be 16 on our next trip. Occasionally when I make a special drink at home say a marguerita or pina colada I will let him have a taste. That is all. We do not let our 16 year old drink. Our last trip to WDW when we ate at San Angel Inn I got a marguerita and let him have some. Not a lot but a couple of tastes. When we go on family vacations (with all the aunts, uncles and cousins) to the beach we will let the older teens have a small drink of wine or a pina colada with just a little alcohol.

Here is the flame alert. Do any of you allow your teen to have a drink in Epcot? I know he is going to ask and I think I know my answer but wanted to see what others do.

And yet again, another thread almost taken over by the do's and don'ts, how bad it is, etc.

Yes the OP did give details, but that is the OP's business, they seem to be handling their home and tasting sessions just fine. As one of the first posts to this thread, I even mentioned what I did, but did include my answer to the question.

Quite a few of us, gave our answers, plus a little extra. I think that's nice to add a bit of yourself on the posts. BUT, so many of the posters all have now, again, turned a basic yes or no question into the do's and don'ts/good and bad of drinking.

As for the comment, "You do not take your underage child to educate them on driving and put them behind the wheel before its time,why is alcohol any different." many people know to drive at an age before the norm. Rural towns do this often, mainly it is for working around their property purposes, but I have known many youngsters driving the family pick up truck at 12 or 13 on roads, and some of those were the busier roads.