18 and Alcohol

[fatherfurlong]

Don't all laugh me off the site for asking about 18 year old son and alcohol. I know he is over the age of adult jurisdiction but.....
Son has just turned 18. Has never given us any bother, worked hard at school and popular lots of friends etc. Everytime he goes out now he takes his passport so he can get a drink with his mates also found bottles in his room of whiskey, vodka etc. He has made no attempt to conceal them which I am at least happy about. Our house does seem to be a meeting place for his friends and they stay over frequently at weekends and now in the week as they wait for A level results. My son has got a summer job and seems to be doing OK there and goes out frequently with hem too-drinking of course.
I know drinking is big in that age group but maybe I am extra sensitive as my father was an alcoholic and it blighted my childhood although he did not start drinking till in his 30's.
Also worried about damage to a young liver drinking consistently through the week. My son never appears drunk but is difficult to rouse in the mornings for work(like every other 18 year old).
What do others think?

[sillygiraffe]

My Ds also just turned 18 and the same as yours, he has bottles of vodka etc in his room. It just seems to be what they do these days and its only natural for us to worry about it. As long as he is not coming in totally rat arsed all the time I just let him get on with it. At least your son has a job and is able to hold that down - my ds does nowt but play games on the computer. So I would say its pretty normal and at least you know so you can keep an eye on things.

[ChillySundays]

It is difficult as they are 18 but my concern would be the the drinking spirits if the bottle is going down rather quickly. My DD is not a great drinker but likes the odd spirit and coke - odd being the operative word

As long he is getting to work.

[theblairbitchproject]

Hes going to work. Im assuming hes work as hard as can to get the grades hes capable of.

Leave him alone. Hes an adult. Pushing something like this will just push him away- he isnt going to stop to please you, he will just keep it away from you.

[rogueantimatter]

Hopefully the novelty of it will soon wear off. Especially if he hasn't been allowed much before.

They do seem to go for spirits now - in fact, shots are the thing to do.

I feel for you - it's bad enough seeing them drink to excess without the added issue of an alcoholic parent.

Perhaps you could tell him that you don't enjoy waking him in the morning and that you're going to stop doing it. He's old enough to be responsible for getting himself up in the morning.

Milk thistle tablets will be a small help to his liver and making every other day dry.