Do you talk to your children about alcohol?

Wandering through our local park with my daughter recently we spotted a man who was clearly intoxicated walking towards us, can of beer in hand, looking a little worse for wear it has to be said.

He didn’t appear particularly threatening but the way he was shouting across to one of his friends standing on the other side of the park did concern me, mainly because he was using language that just wasn’t appropriate in front of a child.

Once we were a safe distance away, my daughter, who is nearly eight, asked me why the man wasn’t able to walk in a straight line and why his speech didn’t sound normal.

It’s a difficult subject and I have to admit it wasn’t a question I was really prepared for. The topic of alcohol has rarely been mentioned in our house, but that is not necessarily a good thing. I think children do need to have some understanding about alcohol, especially as they approach their teens, so they are able make informed choices when they are old enough to drink.

How do you talk to your children about alcohol?

The intoxicated man on the park proved to be a good conversation starter. I tried to explain that his behaviour was the result of drinking too much alcohol; that adults can drink a little and enjoy it but if they have too much it can damage their health and affect behaviour.

But telling her that alcohol is a drug left her thinking anyone who drinks alcohol is doing something extremely dangerous, so I tried to explain that a moderate amount is okay for most people, a bit like eating junk food.

Should children try alcohol at home?

I never tried alcohol at home when I was younger, so I went off into the big wide world keen to know what it was like, yet completely unaware of its dangers. As a result, if my daughter asked to try a sip of alcohol when she was older I would let her try a small amount and talk about alcohol consumption with her.

According to DirectGov it is not illegal for a person under 18 to drink alcohol at home or at a friend’s house. Parents can choose to give young people some of their own alcohol when at home. However the Chief Medical Officer recommends that no child under 15 should drink any alcohol at all.

It seems sensible that parents make their own choices based on the needs of their individual children taking into account the health guidance given. We’re talking about helping children understand alcohol here and promoting responsible drinking in later years, not giving a child a bottle and wine and saying, “Here you go, son!” That said, around 15 does seem a sensible minimum age to be allowed to try alcohol at home.

A first taste of alcohol

I’d rather my daughter had her first experience of alcohol with me at home, in an environment in which she feels safe, rather than at a friend’s or in a nightclub when she’s older. At home we have the opportunity to discuss it more, to talk about the different alcohol levels in different drinks and how alcohol affects the brain. She might not want to try alcohol at all but I certainly wouldn’t be against the idea of her having a small amount one day.

While the Chief Medical Officer said in 2009 there is no evidence to support the argument that giving children an early taste of alcohol encourages sensible drinking, my view is that an informed child is in a better position to make sensible decisions.

Experience tells me it is better that my child tried alcohol before leaving home, instead of in a pub with a group of mates all buying several rounds each, chanting, “Down in one!”

What do you think? Do you talk to your children about alcohol? Is it something you would let them try at home?

Further reading

Kids and alcohol on the Kids Health website.

Talking to older children on the Drink Aware website.

Alcohol limits for children on the NHS Choices website.