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AIBU?

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Mum drinking at pick up

404 replies

Cybertron · 20/09/2024 18:30

After school pick up at 3.15pm a lot of us take our kids to the local park. The kids play on the playground and we sit under benches by the trees. I chat to the mums that are there and have done for a couple of years but I am not close to any of them. Today one mum was chatting to me and she reeked of booze. She told me that she had filled her water bottle with white wine and laughed saying it was the only way to get through the day. She then continued to drink the wine. Her kids are under 10. Should I say or do something or is this ok?
AIBU: leave it she deserves to unwind
YABU: drinking like that with kids is not ok

OP posts:
Delatron · 21/09/2024 20:32

mycatsbestfriend · 21/09/2024 20:28

Yeah I agree, it would be a shame for her to not feel able to join in with the group of mums and wondering who it was, as well as the stress it would cause with the school and potential social services

I think this is true. You’d need to have more evidence of neglect. Being a bit pissed at pick up and sipping wine from a water bottle isn’t enough evidence.

Delatron · 21/09/2024 20:30

It doesn’t sound great and having it in a drinking bottle is very different to having a few glasses of wine over lunch then going to school pick up.

However, I don’t think social services or the school will do anything. There’s a local Dad who is known for being an alcoholic near us - nobody thinks to report him. I don’t think schools concern themselves with the drinking habits of parents. Unless they were doing something illegal like drink driving.

She could quite easily go home, have a cup of tea and be absolutely fine. Some Mums just drink in the day then sober up later.

mycatsbestfriend · 21/09/2024 20:28

campertess · 21/09/2024 20:25

I'm not sure if op knows her well or
not, but if she doesn't, then she should try to find out more about her and her situation before reporting her. You can't unreport someone, so you need to be very sure before you cross that line.

Yeah I agree, it would be a shame for her to not feel able to join in with the group of mums and wondering who it was, as well as the stress it would cause with the school and potential social services

kierenthecommunity · 21/09/2024 20:25

How big was the water bottle?

I have a 750ml insulated one which is perfect for decanting wine into to keep it cold for a picnic or barbecue. If she had one of those then I’d be pretty concerned.

If she had the 250ml equivalent so the same as one large glass, less so.

campertess · 21/09/2024 20:25

I'm not sure if op knows her well or
not, but if she doesn't, then she should try to find out more about her and her situation before reporting her. You can't unreport someone, so you need to be very sure before you cross that line.

IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle · 21/09/2024 20:14

helenatroy · 21/09/2024 18:11

The school where my daughter goes is very sociable. Likewise the mums I hang out with. I’d be more likely to worry about a mum who doesn’t reek of wine. Particularly on a Friday.

Really? Or are you just so desperate to be cool on here?

Franklyyes · 21/09/2024 20:11

Tell school and let safeguarding lead deal with it. They will be able to do referral and there might be other info about this mum centrally.
I know of a mum that was caught drunk driving picking kids up from school. You are immediately putting your children at risk as well as potentially killing others

NerrSnerr · 21/09/2024 20:11

AbraAbraCadabra · 21/09/2024 19:22

Unless you have seen neglect or harm happening to the children (or you know she drove while drunk with the children in the car) no you should not be reporting to social services. Safeguarding is increasingly being used as an excuse to create a surveillance state, which is something we should all want to guard against.

This is all in your opinion.

Personally I wouldn't have loved for 'safeguarding' to have intervened as a child. I'm sure many people had suspicions about my mum's alcohol intake but because we were middle class, clean and fed of course no one reported back then.

If this is the only concern then no one will do anything about it, they're too stretched to. If it's the 10th report about her drinking then there's probably a worry.

campertess · 21/09/2024 20:05

I just think you have to be a bit desperate to take wine in a water bottle when you take your children to the park.

campertess · 21/09/2024 19:58

I am more shocked by the fact that she has wine in her water bottle. She doesn't seem to be embarrassed about it though.

AbraAbraCadabra · 21/09/2024 19:22

Unless you have seen neglect or harm happening to the children (or you know she drove while drunk with the children in the car) no you should not be reporting to social services. Safeguarding is increasingly being used as an excuse to create a surveillance state, which is something we should all want to guard against.

BippityBoppety · 21/09/2024 19:08

"saying it was the only way to get through the day" Could be a joke in which case nothing needed or she could be struggling and appreciate a bit of support. Schools want to work with parents and be on their side, so might want to gently offer some help if the parent wants it.

tolerable · 21/09/2024 19:03

@Cosycover ....as above- but eminem was slightly less insulting and i kinda laughed.

tolerable · 21/09/2024 18:58

@jen337 . thanks.
are you always so wrong? i dont drink, ive REPEATEDLY had to declare on here i had a brain injury,at one point was unlikely to walk or talk ever again.As it goes, i was alwyys ND ,really late to party with computers/typing is fairly new-my thoughts come to quickly and its apparent in y speech and typing.
im responsible for what i say NOT what you understand. im not gony not comment if i want to but if its not ok just sc4rfoll by. then i wont need to be arsey\defensive. ..did i saay.I do not drink. my punctuations shite and to be fair am not sure i even really try with that yet. will call a spade a spade tho. i'll letchu off this time cos you werent to know.
ok.
i can make a big enuf cunt of myself - dont steal my light. also i have tremor so i repetedly hit too many letters or miss a out.it seems.have a good day

mycatsbestfriend · 21/09/2024 18:54

I have a different perspective of things like this because time is kind of irrelevant to me, having a sleep phase disorder

user1471578744 · 21/09/2024 18:54

She might have been joking. Thats definitely something I would say as a joke. Maybe she had a wine at lunchtime and it wasn’t really in her bottle. I would keep an eye rather than rushing to report her

Coco2024 · 21/09/2024 18:53

This is a safeguarding concern. She may be struggling
kids may be struggling
drinking at pick up maybe the tip of the ice berg

Viewfrommyhouse · 21/09/2024 18:51

Findmebythesea1 · 20/09/2024 20:13

Jesus Christ - unclench ladies!

I fear if it all
looked very middle class to you (such as kids playing in park with a cafe inside serving alcohol and the mum having a wine after paying £8 for a glass - fine. Or bringing a hamper with cheese and grapes and a bottle of wine on a Friday - also fine.)

A PLASTIC BOTTLE?! Aghast!!! Alcoholic!! Hiding it!! (Even though she literally told op) 😂 she’s an adult and if she wants a glass (or plastic bottle) of wine in the park on a Friday afternoon why not?! Leave her alone and stop acting like you give her a shit about her kids.

Fucking BRAVO! 👏👏👏

Differentstarts · 21/09/2024 18:48

BippityBoppety · 21/09/2024 18:44

Former teacher here: tell the school as it's a safeguarding concern. They will deal with it and keep an eye out for any problems and will be able to suggest support.

Support for what having some wine in the sun on a Friday afternoon. I had a beer today are you going to offer me support 🤣

BippityBoppety · 21/09/2024 18:44

Former teacher here: tell the school as it's a safeguarding concern. They will deal with it and keep an eye out for any problems and will be able to suggest support.

Differentstarts · 21/09/2024 18:39

Missmarplesknittingbuddy · 21/09/2024 17:42

My experience has taught me that not reporting has significant consequences. In almost all cases where children have come to harm someone will have had concerns but have been scared of or dissuaded from raising them .

But where talking about a person seeing another mum have a drink in the afternoon something the majority of us have done

VeneziaJ · 21/09/2024 18:37

I grew up with a “functioning alcoholic” my mother drank from about 4 every night and 12 at weekends her tipple of choice was malt whiskey and red wines. Nobody reported it because we came from a “nice middle class” home! I wish they had and because I went to a fee paying school nobody there took an interest (hopefully different these days!) it was a scaring experience growing up and has led to me having issues as an adult in that I NEVER get drunk, not ever have! struggle to be around anyone intoxicated and am a bit up tight at social gatherings where alcohol is served! It’s a bit limiting to be honest because I get soo stressed and tense when I see anyone drunk or tipsy expecting the nasty comments and stuff being chucked to start any moment.I hope somebody does help this poor woman. My own mother was deeply unhappy and that was her coping mechanism.

Hmm1234 · 21/09/2024 18:36

Depends if it was on a Friday!? Friday only!?

helenatroy · 21/09/2024 18:11

The school where my daughter goes is very sociable. Likewise the mums I hang out with. I’d be more likely to worry about a mum who doesn’t reek of wine. Particularly on a Friday.

dizzydizzydizzy · 21/09/2024 18:10

preschool mum I used to know was so drunk at 9am that she drove her car into the lobby of the preschool. Luckily she was running late, so nobody was in there at the time. A few months later, she drowned on her own vomit. Her child lost her mum at age 4.