So, I think we have all done it. Had a drink of alcohol before we were of age. Here in Canada the legal age is 18. I had never thought of this until now. I have a teenager on my hands and 3 more to go. So, here’s the thing, I know that kids her age are having party’s and not only that, their parents are buying them alcohol for these party’s.
The fact that these parents are buying these 16 and 17 year old’s booze bothers me. But I just look at it and say, it’s them, not me. My daughter knows I will not buy it for her.
I think it’s a problem that their parents are buying them booze. Most of these kids have just gotten their drivers licenses and feel they have something to prove when they are driving a car. Never mind arming them with alcohol too!
I won’t say say that I have never offered her a drink. I have told her if she wants to try some wine or a cooler, she can try it at home, not at a party. It’s unbelievable what some guys are doing to girls at parties and what they put in their drinks. A lot of date rapes are going around-whole other topic!!!
Anyhow, my thing here is, am I showing her the right thing? Yes, I have offered my 16 1/2 year old a glass of wine or a cooler. I have never bought her alcohol to take somewhere else. I always tell her when she goes to a party-NO DRINKING!!!!
I don’t understand where these other parents are coming from. Buying and supplying the alcohol??? Is it me? Am I just old school?? Is it just today’s day and age?? Do I need to grow up and get with the time??
What’s your thought and please tell me how it is!!
Us Girls..Our Views 
Hi Lisa. I’m with you 100%!!! Here in Australia, every December there is something that is called “schoolies week” that is held on the Gold Coast. It is meant to be a celebratory week for school leavers from all over Australia to meet up and enjoy. Hundreds of kids go to it. But in the last few years, alcohol has started to become a serious problem at this event. Apparently, parents are buying cartons and cartons of alcohol for their teenagers who go for this!?! Then you have all the other issues the crop up because of this – binge drinking, date rape (due to spiking of drink) , etc. etc!!
I believe what you are doing is correct – you are educating your teenager about drinking. There is a responsibility that comes with this “privilege” and our teenagers should be educated to appreciate this (Just like driving a car!).
Absolutely! You are doing the right thing! In my opinion anyway 😉
I also grew up in a home where I was allowed to drink with my family in social situations from a fairly young age. I was always told that if I wanted a drink go get one. My parents never gave alcohol to my friend, unless my friends parents were physically present and gave their permission as well. My parents certainly NEVER purchased it for me THAT is illegal…and they never let me drive a car after drinking at home THAT is illegal as well.
In some cultures you can buy alcohol in vending machines! Nobody pays any attention and the end result is that it’s so commonplace no one cares and they certainly wouldn’t invite all their friends over to binge and possibly purge on it. We could all OD on Jolt Cola because it’s got twice as much caffeine but we wouldn’t organize entire social gatherings around it. However if it were suddenly made illegal and teens were told they couldn’t have it then suddenly they’d all be sneaking around to get it.
I would be lying if I said I’ve never gone binge drinking in my life, but, very, very rarely. I never went through that college phase that so many people seem to go through when they get their independence. Why? Because my parents had allowed me to make independent decisions many years earlier.
My first reaction is to tell you H*ll no you don’t need to grow up and get with the times! People need to wise up! Kids and alcohol don’t mix! PERIOD! There was alot of things I did as a teen and alot of stuff I got mixed up with that I didnt need to be mixed up with. A parent shouldn’t add to it.. Offering your child a drink at home versus buying and supplying kids with alcohol isnt the same thing..
I completely agree offering a drink at home is totally different than buying it for them to get drunk. Especially at someone else’s house, You don’t know what’s going on there. And are these parents who are suppling the alcohol for their kids and their friends aware of what could happen to them!? Let alone the fact of the legal matter, what happens if someone gets hurt or worse, dies? Awhile back, a girl underage, drinking at a friends house w/ parents, ended up passing out under a blanket next to an air conditioner. She died. Something to do with the fumes. It’s a scary thing, not something to take lightly. Kids 15,16, they don’t for one know their limit yet and can not handle the amount of alcohol they THINK they can drink.
Bye the way I thought we were so cool being able to drink legally when we all went up to Cananda, but we were always with adults.
After reading some more of the responses I’m reminded of a party I did attend when we were underage. A friend’s mom not only supplied the drink she supplied a bag of mj as well to all these high school kids. I don’t know if she was reliving her youth, or she thought she was bonding with her kids, or she thought she was cool. At the time I thought she was a cool mom. As an adult I realize how incredibly pathetic and stupid that was as a parent. Talk about risk!!!! There’s nothing more pathetic than a 50 year old woman smokin a j with over teased hair, dressed in skater attire and jumpin around to Cypress Hill. Sigh…..
I guess I would be wondering if I should do something about these other parents. That is outrageous that they are endangering other people’s kids (potentially yours) with respect to both their physical safety and their criminal record. I can’t imagine why this is considered acceptable or something everyone else should pretend not to notice.
I am very much in favor of serving your own children alcohol in your own house and helping them to understand what it is, how to use it responsibly, and what can happen if they don’t. It takes away much of the “thrill” of drinking it in an illegal situation, so hopefully they will say “no” if it ever is served at a friend’s house. But, the problem with that is peer pressure. If they are the only “prudes” at a party, they may feel embarrassed to say no. Then they could get in just as much trouble as anyone else.
This calls for a series of heart-to-heart talks with your daughter. I think I’d also want to speak to the owners of the house before the party, and mention that my kid has been instructed to come home and tell me if anyone at the party is bringing or drinking alcohol. Would it make a difference? I don’t know, but if my kid is lucky, maybe she won’t be invited to any more illegal parties.
Don’t forget who sat next to you at these socials 15 year’s ago. I bought my first case of Budweiser when I was 17, in canada. I don’t look 21 now so how was I served so long ago. I remember drinking with my family across the border and here 15,16 years old. As long as I was with mom or dad it felt normal. I never drank at other peoples houses it never even came up. I think it also depends on where you live geographically. Kids from the suburbs, inner cities and rural environments behave differently. My friends now talk about going to school stoned and hungover or even drinking on the way to school. I didn’t even know what pot was until I was almost sixteen years old. We didn’t have dare or any drug programs until my late teens. Your not going to stop kids from doing what kids do so at least try to educate them on the subjects… Cheers lisa
Hi
I came to your site from spillay’s website. Not sure if you would have seen my 2nd comment there. I must apologise if I offended you with my comment – it wasn’t intended. The only experience I’ve had are with the folks from Boise, so to be fair, I can’t make a generalisation.
i was allowed to drink at home when I was a teen. By “drink” I mean a wine cooler or two. Not getting drunk. I’ll be honest and say it didn’t happen often but my parents never made a big deal out of alcohol so I guess in turn, we didn’t either.
Would they have bought me alcohol to take somewhere else where “kids” would be drinking and then *gasp* driving home. NO WAY! I always thought my parents were out of the loop but I know now, they were right on and I will be the same way with my kids.
I guess I did it the same way my parents did. If we wanted a beer or a glass of wine, we could have one. Not 10 but 1 or 2. We didn’t “get drunk” but I don’t think my kids did either. I feel the more you tell kids no, it makes them want it more so we didn’t really react to strongly about letting them have a drink. If we were at the cabin around a campfire or up in Canada with relatives, we had a few. I also wanted them to know what it felt like so when they went out in the world, they would know. I have to say though that neither of my kids fell into this kind of crowd. I always thought they were pretty good kids this way. Of course now they get to talking about they did “this and that” and I can’t believe it. I thought I knew everything but I didn’t.
Also Jen, I can’t help but add this, you really cracked me up with the “There’s nothing more pathetic than a 50 year old woman smokin a j with over teased hair, dressed in skater attire and jumpin around to Cypress Hill. Sigh…..” That’s pretty hilarious.