1 week ago
.png)
Is letting kids drink alcohol a harmless way to demystify booze, or the pathway to binge drinking?
It's a question that has been raised in the wake of a shock World Health Organization report which found kids in England are more likely to have drunk alcohol than those in any other country.
MailOnline asked two mothers on either side of the debate what they think and why...
Parents should never encourage children to have alcohol at home, writes CARLA BELLUCCI.
As a mother of four children, I would never dream of letting them have any sort of booze, even if it was just a glass of wine with dinner.
'Anyone who does give their children alcohol should be held accountable for their actions' says Carla Bellucci
Some of my friends let their children have an occasional tipple, but not under my roof!
Anyone who does give their children alcohol should be held accountable for their actions.
As well as distracting them from their education, it can cause serious harm to their health and wellbeing. It's for that very reason there's an age limit on alcohol.
Also, how on earth would any child be able to concentrate on everyday school life after drinking? We all know how awful a hangover can be.
As a mother, I would simply never forgive myself if my kids got addicted to alcohol because of my actions.
It's bad enough with all the peer pressure they face on social media, and older children encouraging them to experiment.
As parents, we have a crucial role in shaping our children's attitude and learning towards alcohol, and it must be a positive one.
A tipple at home prevents binge drinking at parties as a teenager writes SHONA SIBARY
Whenever I see news reports highlighting the binge drinking culture of teenagers in Britain today, usually accompanied with photos of some poor girl clutching a bottle of Vodka and vomiting all over the pavement, I know with absolute certainty that this will never be one of my children.
But Shona Vann writes 'It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that if drinking isn’t a taboo it doesn’t need to be hidden, or rebelliously over-indulged in'
You may be surprised to learn that the reason for this is not because we are a family of strict Mormons and alcohol is forbidden from our house. Quite the opposite.
All four of my children have grown up with drinking as an accepted evening backdrop to their lives.
From a young age they were all taught to pour me a G&T (a three finger measure if it was a bad day) and the moment they turned teenagers they were allowed to have a small glass of wine or a beer with weekend meals.
We have French family and this is completely the norm there. I once witnessed the end of a baguette being dunked into a glass of red wine and handed to a fractious two year old.
My mother died of alcoholism in 2015, so my children have seen the abuse of alcohol up close and personal, but that hasn't changed my approach.
Most of us drink to make ourselves feel better in the evening, but people with an alcohol problem drink to stop themselves feeling bad. There is a massive difference and my children know that difference.
Also, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that if drinking isn’t a taboo it doesn’t need to be hidden, or rebelliously over-indulged in.
My children see alcohol as something that enhances meals and social occasions.
When we drink together as a family there is always food, always laughter.
They have learnt how alcohol affects them and what their limits are. And they have done this with us watching over them - not for the first time at a party.
Because they’ve drunk with us at home, they are in a far better position when they do go out with friends to know what they're capable of drinking.
