Letting kids drink alcohol early reduces future problems?

by Brian White (Subscribe to Brian White's posts)
Oct 1st 2007 12:23PM

It seems quite weird to many of us that some would encourage teenagers to drink a little alcohol while legally under-age. But that is just what might keep them from binge drinking later in life, according to a new study.

Anna Peele's parents would let her drink at social functions and holiday meals, something that seemed ordinary to them but would catch many an American parent off-guard I think. Are small, social drinks okay for those teens in high school?

Some think that moderate drinking takes away from the mysterious, 'forbidden fruit' viewpoint many kids have about alcohol. And, since we all know most teens are perfectly non-rebellious (yeah, right), giving access to alcohol in those years may set some kind of mental precedent that would make going overboard later a slimmer possibility. What do you think?

Source

Comments (8)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

amy 10-01-2007 @ 2:02PM

I was allowed to drink (in moderation,of course) while I was a teen, and it definitely took away any mystery and made it normal. I have never gotten drunk, and I don't really want to. So I would say it worked for me!

Chris 10-01-2007 @ 2:29PM

I think alcohol is a drug. Just because it's pushed legally worldwide doesn't make it OK. Alcohol abuse is a very real threat and could be the bi-product of early consumption, whether it is consumed "socially" or in a binge drinking setting.

Marijuana kills less people than alcohol by far. Why don't we sit around and let our kids smoke doobies socially. Come on people, they're all drugs, wake up. Just because you can drink one, and smoke the other, what's the difference?

You don't see people getting killed everyday, let alone, thousands of people killed every month from being a little stoned. Yet, we should encourage teenagers who are just learning to operate motor vehicles that weight several tons and go go 80 mph, to drink!

Adults can barely not drink and drive, what makes you think a 16 year old can???

Raina 10-01-2007 @ 3:25PM

Chris,

While I agree with you that teenagers don't necessarily have the best handhold on moderation, and that alcohol does have serious affects on the body long term (as well as in crashes), I think it misses the point of the article a little. Nobody is encouraging kids to get drunk or condoning the kind of drinking you're talking about here (and honestly, if kids want to drink that much, they're going to find a way to do it). But teenagers do have a huge rebellious streak. If parents treat alcohol like a Big Evil that must be avoided at all costs (the same thing goes for sex), then the kid's going to just be more curious about it and go do it behind the parents' backs.

Teaching a kid to drink a little bit, in moderation, tells them that it's no big thing to drink alcohol and will lessen their drive to go out and get drunk as a means of rebellion. Sure, there may be some kids who take advantage of this and go to extreme (there always are), but I think it's very important to teach kids how to consume responsibly before they go off to college and have no parental oversight.

Chris 10-02-2007 @ 1:55PM

Raina,

I agree with you, it's just sad. I don't want my kids to ever feel like they need to consume a drug just because it's accepted in our society, and has been for thousands of years. I probably sound like a religious freak, but I'm not.

I'm 26 year old male, engaged, and I don't drink or smoke. But I used to drink quite a bit. I attribute it to being prone for substance abuse, and as soon as that alcohol touched my lips it didn't matter how much I was taught, I wanted more.

So that scares me for my kids, I don't want them to feel like they should be taught its OK, because I want to teach them to stay away, not because it's the Big Evil, but because it's bad for you and you can enjoy life without it, like I do know.

I've known people growing up that never touched alcohol, I don't know how, but they did. And I want the same for my kids.

I understand your point, I hope you understand my point as well. As for the right answer, we'll probably never know.

Thanks,
Chris

Raina 10-03-2007 @ 4:28PM

Chris,

I do understand your point, it is a valid one. And there are many kids (myself included) who are perfectly happy to grow up without drinking (I didn't start drinking socially until I was 27). I'm not advocating that you should encourage your kids to drink if they don't want to, just so they can fit in. But if they're interested in trying a small glass of wine with dinner, or a little bit of beer, it will show them that it's not an Evil and they may learn how to use it in moderation. But parents would need to be very careful that it doesn't backfire and give the kids too much of a taste for alcohol - moderation in everything.

Brendan 10-04-2007 @ 2:27AM

The main thing is that whether you drink or choose not to, alcohol is a part of our global society and therefore a part of everyone's lives. It is not going to go away anytime soon, so it should not be kept hidden from children as something that only bad people do. My family drank casually throughout my entire childhood, making me realize that drinking is not a terrible thing, but at the same time it is not what life is all about. I'm not suggesting that drinking with your kids is a good idea, but instead, make them realize that drinking is a privledge and should be respected.

Lisa 10-08-2007 @ 9:52PM

My brother and I both grew up being allowed to drink a very little at social events. As Jewish children we were allowed sips if wine during Seder and at Channukah. I drink rarely - maybe a beer per month. Only on vacation do I drink more than 2 beers during a 24-hour period, and this only because I like to have a beer before lunch, before dinner & a Bailey's after dinner. My brother has been through drug & alcohol treatment twice and cannot control himself around alcohol at all. I think it depends on the individual kid & doesn't really matter what you do as long as they learn some kind of restraint early.

Bob 10-15-2007 @ 9:57PM

The real problem is that ADULTS make a big deal about alcohol therefore we create the demand! I still have friends in their late 40s and 50s that when they get together for a party, the alcohol becomes the main focus??? How nuts is that? Instead of looking at it as a way to socialize with each other its a way to drink with each other. Drinking becomes synonymous with getting together and the kids see that so they do it to. We as adults have created this problem not the kids. I have never drank in my life...never was allowed to as a kid and learned that I can have fun without it so never did it in HS or college. My brother snuck it as a kid and drank a lot in college but doesn't now. So it does depend on the kid but also how the parents present it. Make it a big deal and it becomes one, and more a temptation for the kids. Its promoted on commercials like you need to drink to have a great time, get the girl or be a great althlete...all wrong. WE are to blame. Lastly, parents who let the kids drink show kids its okay to break rules when you feel like it. No wonder there is no respect for authority today.