Page 21 | How much alcohol for a 15 year old?

Dramatic · 2025-07-31T19:29:17+00:00

If your 15 year old was going to a party (supervised by parents at the house) how much alcohol would you allow them to take with them?

Dartmoorcheffy · 31/07/2025 21:00

To all those saying none, then as others have said, you risk your teen experimenting and not being able to be honest with you. At 15 they are going to be starting to drink with their peers. Allow them to drink low alcohol cider or lagers or bucks fizz then they can learn to be responsible and not have to sneak around behind your back. 15 is not 12.

Athreedoorwardrobe · 31/07/2025 20:59

I think 1 or 2 cans of pre mixed cocktails. 3 or 4% nothing stronger.
And I'd be expecting them to only drink that. I'd make it clear if they came home completely wasted I'd never again be trusting them to go out with alcohol I'd got them.
Altho yes I'd be a hypocrite because I was always trashed with a cheap plastic bottle of cider at houseparties when I was that age..
But guess what it's 2025 and everyone has a camera phone so kids can get away with much less than we did!

JoshLymanSwagger · 31/07/2025 20:58

yousillygoose · 31/07/2025 20:56

I’m ok with my 15yr old having up to 2 cans of fruity cider when we’re at parties (the 330ml size)

Funnily enough I have some in the fridge - as they're only 330ml cans, it works out stronger than a 440ml can of Carlsberg (1.5 units)

Mokel · 31/07/2025 20:58

bellamorgan · 31/07/2025 20:52

And it works because it’s not taboo or a novelty you need to rush to get out your system.

Europe way is the way for a healthier mindset to alcohol.

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Exactly. Why don't many parents in this country follow this model?

Also teach them to have a nice meal first, then if you want cocktails and further drinks, have them after food. In the UK, they drink on an empty stomach, which was the reason why I threw up. It was a works party and I thought it was the following week. Plus there was more red wine than other drinks - only about 4 drank it out of 80-100.

BopItWinner · 31/07/2025 20:58

15 and finished GCSEs or 15 and just finished year 10 because I think there’s a big difference. After GCSEs, my son went to a few parties over the summer where he would take a few lagers with him and had the occasional shot of something. He’s in his early 20s now and not a big drinker. Youngest is 16 and couldn’t be less interested.

FKAT · 31/07/2025 20:57

None.

yousillygoose · 31/07/2025 20:56

I’m ok with my 15yr old having up to 2 cans of fruity cider when we’re at parties (the 330ml size)

thismummydrinksgin · 31/07/2025 20:56

I’d feed them up before they went with a load of stodge and 2 cans. I’d fully expect them to drink more from elsewhere ..

namechangeGOT · 31/07/2025 20:56

A bottle of MD 20/20 and 10 lamberts. Is what I would have taken. Potentially a bottle of cherry lambrini too if I was sleeping over.

runningonberocca · 31/07/2025 20:55

None.

BeMellowAquaSquid · 31/07/2025 20:55

bellamorgan · 31/07/2025 20:50

Imagine all the TikTok lives from the fields…. I mean supervised sleepovers we were having.

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It makes me shudder now to think of some of the choices I made. At 15 I’d been exposed to scenes likened out of Trainspotting. My kids are mortified when my friends and I regale stories of raving in our hot pants on some dodgy podium with only my mums credit card ‘borrowed’ for ID. All the while their Nan and Grandad thought I was doing an over night study session at another child’s house who just happened to tell their parent they were doing exactly the same at my house. Pirate radio, a white whistle and a bottle of rum.

IAmNeverThePerson · 31/07/2025 20:55

none

TravelPanic · 31/07/2025 20:54

At 15 zero. At 16 a couple of cans of beer/cider/ alco pop and lots of snacks plus some soft drinks

TheCurious0range · 31/07/2025 20:54

Secularbeaver · 31/07/2025 20:38

Agree. I'd definitely recommend removing the mesh waste paper basket from the 15 year olds room after said party too...

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And definitely don't leave that open bottle of gin in the cupboard that you won at a raffle ten years before that's still there because no one in the house drinks gin

Lemniscate8 · 31/07/2025 20:54

My cousin was one of those liberal, lets be open about it, lets advise and share it parents. her son was diagnosed as alcoholic at 16.

Tiredofme · 31/07/2025 20:53

None.
I wouldn't be allowing him to go to a party where children were drinking alcohol.

It's one thing to allow your own child to try a glass of wine with a meal in your own home and learn responsible drinking. Entirely different to a gang of children partying with alcohol in someone else's home.

OppsUpsSide · 31/07/2025 20:53

This isn’t what you asked, but what they seem to drink is sourz, which is quite a high percentage but lower then the spirits they otherwise mix in with the lower alcohol ciders some parents allow.

bellamorgan · 31/07/2025 20:52

Mokel · 31/07/2025 20:50

Those who said none. Do you realise that in mainland Europe, such as Spain, France and Italy, the families introduce alcohol to their kids in small quantities with meals?

My parents let me have a very small glass of sherry, wine and sweet spirits as a kid. There is a photo of me aged 3 drinking a creme de menthe. The introduction to alcohol at a young age, made me appreciate alcohol. Only threw up once due to drinking too much alcohol. Some 18-25, do this on a weekly occurrence.

At 15, I drank alcohol at friend's homes, with their parents. Think we were limited to 2 cans of Carlsberg. None of us got drunk, caused damage etc.

And it works because it’s not taboo or a novelty you need to rush to get out your system.

Europe way is the way for a healthier mindset to alcohol.

Mokel · 31/07/2025 20:50

Those who said none. Do you realise that in mainland Europe, such as Spain, France and Italy, the families introduce alcohol to their kids in small quantities with meals?

My parents let me have a very small glass of sherry, wine and sweet spirits as a kid. There is a photo of me aged 3 drinking a creme de menthe. The introduction to alcohol at a young age, made me appreciate alcohol. Only threw up once due to drinking too much alcohol. Some 18-25, do this on a weekly occurrence.

At 15, I drank alcohol at friend's homes, with their parents. Think we were limited to 2 cans of Carlsberg. None of us got drunk, caused damage etc.

bellamorgan · 31/07/2025 20:50

BeMellowAquaSquid · 31/07/2025 20:49

This!! Thank goodness for no camera phones in the 90’s.

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Imagine all the TikTok lives from the fields…. I mean supervised sleepovers we were having.

Needmorelego · 31/07/2025 20:49

None.

Handrearedmagpie · 31/07/2025 20:49

Two alcopops max, to last the night and only if parents are there. Would also send them with a few non alcoholic cans/bottle of schloer type stuff.

BeMellowAquaSquid · 31/07/2025 20:49

bellamorgan · 31/07/2025 20:47

I was raised by the same my parents would rather I tried it under their supervision than turn 18 or even a young teen get drunk as a fart with friends and end up r’d or dead in a ditch because I had never had it or knew what I could handle.

A lot of my friends had parents who would swear blind their children never had sex or alcohol till legal. The fields tell a very different story.

This!! Thank goodness for no camera phones in the 90’s.

user2848502016 · 31/07/2025 20:48

None - I have a 14 year old and I just think she’s too young and it’s unnecessary.
I wouldn’t allow it until at least 16 and then it would be small amounts at home to begin with

Pringlebeak · 31/07/2025 20:48

Mrsttcno1 · 31/07/2025 20:39

All that means in practice is that instead of her drinking what you have bought, which you can control, her & her friends club together and get a litre of vodka and have a go at that instead.

At 15 no more than a couple of cans of a premixed cocktail or cider would be my stance I think, on the condition I was dropping them off and picking them up.

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If you're a responsible parent you have a talk to them beforehand and tell them not to do that.