Alcohol is a gateway drug. I think that there is a much greater chance that the child will become a drug user, or an alcoholic if a child starts drinking young, or if the family fails to protect the child from him/herself.

I was raised in a state that allowed drinking at 18 years old. My parents never officially prohibited us kids from drinking and taught us to have plenty of respect for the stuff.

We weren't kids kids, we were 16,17 years old. But it was never prohibited. My parents reasoned they would rather see us kids have a few beers at home than out on the road somewhere. They knew we were going to try it anyway. They didn't encourage it but didn't prohibit it either.

Five kids - None of us turned out to be drunks or have any substance abuse problems at all. Matter of fact, none of us do much drinking at all.

But an interesting thing happened when I went away to college. The drinking age was 21 there and I was only 19. I legally couldn't drink. Well, by the following June when I went home for Summer break I overindulged quite frequently. Drank waaaaayyyy too much. Why? Someone told me I COULDN'T do it.

So it's a two way thing. Oftentimes, the best way to get someone to do something is to tell them they can't do it. I know in my life I've used that metheod to overcome quite a few things. Impossible??? Wanna bet...

But with booze it's a fine line you have to walk. It depends on how the kids were raised in the first place. If the parents were substance abusers and people abusers, and kids abusers there's going to be problems with booze. If not booze some other sibstance will do.

Either way it shouldn't be up to the government to decide these things. Parents need to be doing their jobs not relying on government oversight and political correctness.

It is a cultural thing for many of us who began
drinking at an early age. And "drinking" in the
context of the article does not mean that kids
were served beer like water, or even a soft drink.
I remember well my Great-Aunt pushing wine to me
and telling me it was good for my health. She taught
high school so I believed her...ggg.

We were served wine in tiny glasses at the evening
meal and it generally was for special occasions
which granted were looked forward to since it meant
that we were given a privilege which was usually
restricted for adults. I think if we begged a slurp
of beer we were also given one but only rarely and
in the context of a family situation. My family
strongly felt that if you were taught to drink at
home, it would take the hype out of it and the
thrill of sneaking it, or drinking and driving.
I would have to say it worked fine for all of
us kids and that I also allowed my daughter the
shot glass of wine on Christmas and Thanksgiving
when we were toasting. She rarely took more than
a sip and squished her nose up since she did not
care for the taste. She did sip it though because
it included her in a tradition that I was included
in and I am assuming she will pass on to her children.

We did not allow her to have alcohol parties in
our home and never served anyone else's child
and when she came of age, I think her relationship
with alcohol was very moderate and she did not
have that yahoo, lets go out and drive around and
drink attitude ever. I cannot help but feel that
this was because we put alcohol into perspective
in our own home, allowed communication, and also
emphasized never getting drunk in public or driving
and drinking.

blessings,
Zoe

-_-

This one I wish to answer.
In our dinnertable kids were offered a class of wine on weekends (not every) and special days from the age 15.
Neither of them a boy and a girl, both now past 30, developed drinking habits. Neither got involved in drugs.
In fact they become better than expected alcohol users. A girl, while expecting babyes never had a drink while pregnant.

Home is the best place to teach your kids the right behavior for the adulthood.
One day the kids will leave home anyhow and find a drink. It is important that they know how to use it correctly!
Takes responsible parents to teach kids to be responsible.

SF

I believe the article is absolutely right, and I don't think I am an oxymoron either.

By introducing alcohol at a relatively early age, and becoming used to the idea of (for example) having wine with Dinner in moderation, my own children thought it was "no big deal" to "drink" when coming of age, and thought it was ludicrous to binge-drink; which was the opposite view of teenagers who had been deprived of this liberality with legal and parental imposition and prohibition.
My children just don't see the point of binge-drinking!!!

Another parallel example of this is seen in my own family again, who have been used to naked bodies of both sexes from birth........sex is just no big deal....with no "hang-ups" from anyone.

What happened in America during the prohibition of the 20's?.....alcohol went underground and became fashionable with what people saw as a deprivation.

there are so many social woes that are exclusive to america. chemical abuse and serial killers top the list. these are created in culture. change the culture and you change the outcome. i agree with exposing kids to alcohol as opposed to the way things are done now days. who in our society has historically had the most problems with alcohol? those who have been exposed the least - native americans. and before you jump on me, i am part NA, so stuff it. the record speaks for itself. the article has merit.

I don't have a problem with that article or concept.
I noticed it was written from Atlanta, Georgia - central part of the Bible belt.
A lot of people in the South are raised with a strong "alcohol is EVIL - never touch the stuff" concept. But when the kids get into college, high school, probably even younger -- when they get a chance, then they love to party and get drunk, in fact it would seem that is the only thing they like to do. And then they post wasted pictures of themselves on the internet. I don't understand it, but it's there.

Somehow a big hype gets built into alcoholic beverages. It has a strong mystique and pull. In my opinion, they should be considered as just another choice of beverage - not something to get all excited about, and throw parties centered around and look forward to, etc. I believe any occasion should be considered just as good with no alcohol - it is not a necessary ingredient for a good time.

Taking the mystery out of it by letting kids have a taste or a small portion in a safe family environment doesn't let it become that "forbidden fruit", so that ever after, they go out drinking with an "Oh, I'm BAD" mentality.

I don't have a problem with people drinking in moderation and responsibility in appropriate settings, but I've never had respect for people who get drunk. I certainly don't need any assistance in having fun! I myself have never been drunk, although I've tried a small variety of alcohol - one at a time, mind you.

I understand that many people's lives (and their family's lives) have been damaged or destroyed by alcohol - and these people must treat alcohol with extreme care and caution. I would not want to offend people by drinking alcohol in their presence.

Of course, I'm an odd one... I have mostly only drunk water since I was 15 and gave up soft drinks.

On top of what everyone else said about the forbidden fruit being that much sweeter, it's much more prudent to teach kids to respect alcohol and its effects in more controlled settings. How many college freshman who have never had a sip of alcohol before get in all sorts of trouble when they go to that first party? They don't know what to expect, they don't know their limits, they don't know moderation.
When you teach a child to swim, do you just toss em in the Atlantic and see what happens when they say they want to go in the water? No, you let them wade in their swimmies and play splashy splashy, and then hold their nose underwater, and then floating and strokes, etc.

It doesn't matter. Its the ultimate conundrum of nature vs nurture. Nature wins always, hands down.

Case in point. I am adopted. I could not be more different from my Mom and Dad. I don't agree with their politics, their religious ideals, their social ideals, how they treat their dogs.....you name it. And I certainly did not agree with how they raised me. What they did give me was my social status in life. Priviledged child with good education and neighboring peers headed in the same direction.

My best friend (who is now a doctor) made me do all the bad things I got into trouble with in H.S. I never really drank until I met her. I never smoked pot until I met her. I never dropped acid until we added our other best friend into the mix. I was raised to be a god fearing, republican, sexually repressed, highly productive and educated young woman. Little help...I became a hippie, drug taking, sexually active, socially rebellious, agnostic, feminist, artist. And while I got a good education, as did my crazy girlfriends and am now a member of the PTA, no drugs, moderate drinker, corporate worker, good mother and wife type person, I am still completely different from Mom and Dad. By the way....Mom is a psychologist LOL!!

I have a psychology degree. I wanted to be a child psychologist but became a teacher instead. Years later I read a book that knocked my socks off. Judith Rich Harris. Brilliant. Here is an article about her book.


http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/books/1998/9811.williams.parents.html


Well, the nice thing about this is it takes the guilt out of the equation LOL!! But then again, my son is genetically linked to me, poor kid.

Molly

I don't have a problem with it either. That ol "forbidden fruit" has gotten us in more trouble....