The couple that allowed underage drinking.

[Terrywoodenpic]

I am not even sure there is a legal age limit to drink in the home in the Uk. It certainly is not obeyed if there is one. a similar question is asked on another forum, and most started drinking at a very young age.

 

[Loki]

What are you teaching your children by allowing underage drinking? You are teaching them to break the law. The earlier children drink the more chance they have to become an alcoholic. Alcohol is a drug and can't be good for a body that is still forming. Some parts of the brain isn't fully developed until a person is 25. If you truly want to teach them how to drink, then it can be done when it's legal.

When the age for drinking is set at a ridiculously high level such as 21, it's no surprise that people are breaking the law. they should lowe rthe drinking age, and encourage responsible drinking.

You don't have to be underage to drink irresponsibly. Alcohol may not be good for you, but if people learn to respect it, rather than thing "Right, I'm 21, the door is open, so I can finally burst into the room, and i'm going to run like a maniac"

I think the mother here was excessively responsible, and it a brilliant example for other parents. If the law is rubbish, break it, and do what's right instead.

I am not even sure there is a legal age limit to drink in the home in the Uk. It certainly is not obeyed if there is one. a similar question is asked on another forum, and most started drinking at a very young age.

There is an age for this. It's 5. You have to be at least 5 years old. I had an odd glass of wine aged 10 or so, on special occasions, and it was perfectly legal.

 

[Original Freak]

I lived in Germany when I was 1/2 - 6 and 14 - 15 and my family has a tolerant attitude towards that lovely poison. My feelings are a bit different than what's being expressed here. My father always bought me my beer and I was always honest where I was. Never any drunk driving. I could always call for a drive home, and now my father calls me at times for a drive home and no matter the time we are both willing to pick each other up.

My difference comes in the fact I don't think the parents have a right to buy anyone elses kids alcohol. Only there own. I don't want anyone else making the choice for my kids as to what they are allowed and not allowed to do.

My experience was the drinking age in Germany was 'here kid have a beer.' A lot more people there are considered alcholics (to our standards) because they have at least 3 drinks a day. A glass of wine or beer at lunch, one with supper and perhaps one before bed. It's a totally different attitude.

 

[Melody]

I think the mother here was excessively responsible, and it a brilliant example for other parents. If the law is rubbish, break it, and do what's right instead.

Since "right" is subjective based on the previous posts (some agree with you and some don't) the parents are the only people who have the "right" to determine whether they choose to obey the law or not in regards to their children. These parents superseded the authority of the other teens' parents.

 

[michel]

The argument of, "Well, they're going to find a way to do it anyhow...we may as well let them." is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion. Arsonists are going to find ways to light people's houses on fire even though the practice is illegal--should we make arson legal because resistance is futile?

Kids most certainly will find a way to drink, even though its illegal, (I can attest that I certainly do), but for parents to condone such behavior can bring no good.

-They are teaching their kids that it is alright to break the law
-They are taking their child's responsibility upon themselves, (so much for 'teaching kids how to safely drink)
-Do the parents of the other kids attending these parties agree with this philosophy? Probably not the majority.

I can understand that by allowing kids to do some things takes away the 'adventure' of it, and therefore the kid is less likely to do it because the initial appeal has been taken away, but such thinking must be handled with great care, because it certainly doesn't work on everything. I have friends whos parents let them drink, and they milk it for all it's worth. Likewise, what about those kids whose parents don't know they're drinking? Such philosophy doesn't apply to all of them.

I dunno. I just think that there are some things parents should put their foot down on. Someday if I have kids, I won't be opposed to them perhaps having a glass of wine at dinner or on special occasions--kids should at least be exposed to and taught about alcohol--but I will never provide alcohol for them and their friends so that they can all get wasted, nor will I supply alcohol so that my kid can get wasted by himself.

Cerwiden,

[The argument of, "Well, they're going to find a way to do it anyhow...we may as well let them." is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion. ] - I see your point, but it reminds me that Marie's parents used to insist that shee be home no later than 10.30pm (because, after that time.....well, you know what guys are like....). The 'they're going to do it anyway' is probably the safer way of thinking.

The point you make about the parent's condoning the kids' drinking is true - it gives the kids their first opportunity to think 'Oh, well, I can flout the law - if Mum and Dad say it's OK, then I can decide which laws to follow.."
(Maybe not out loud, but certainly subconsciously.)

The age limit here is 18; kids are drinking from the age of twelve - some are alcoholics!

So what's the answer ? - perhaps we can take a leaf out of the French, Spanish, and Italian books; they have no age limit for drinking. Kids have a glass of wine (with lemonade, or water) as soon as they can (While Mum and Dad show a good example by only having a couple of glasses themselves). There is not much drink related violence in these continental countries - certainly nothing like the problems we have here.

Maybe it's the law, and attitudes that need changing....

 

[Original Freak]

I think you would have to change the entire societies views on drinking. While in Germany I went to bars for a couple of months (I was 14) having a drink here and there before I got all out drunk. Over here I rarely see anyone under the age of 25 who drinks a couple just for the sake of having a drink. It's usually about planning the entire night around getting smashed (which I think is fine occasionally)

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

These children are 17. This means in one year they are considered adults. They would be tried as an adult in a court of law, and the males will be required to submit their names to the military, and are free to risk their life to fight for their country. Why is it wrong to let them celebrate New Years in a responsible way?

 

[Melody]

These children are 17. This means in one year they are considered adults. They would be tried as an adult in a court of law, and the males will be required to submit their names to the military, and are free to risk their life to fight for their country. Why is it wrong to let them celebrate New Years in a responsible way?

Well, putting aside the fact that they are not yet legally adults, nor subject to any type of military requirements and that age has no bearing on whether or not they're tried as an adult. We recently had a 13 year old tried as an adult, so should we make legal drinking age 13 just because they can be tried as an adult?

It's wrong because (a) the law says so and if you don't like the law, feel free to break it *for your own children* or get it changed and (b) these parents were acting without the authority of the other parents.