Is it ok for a 16yr old to get drunk on vodka with a parent?

[MrsKingfisher]

I'm saying no it's not ok. Not my child not my business. However how unpopular is my opinion I wonder?

It's not OK to get drunk with a parent until you're well into your 20s (if then). Parents need to lead by example so 1 drink is fine but off yer face, no. The example you're setting is about decision making and respecting yourself. It can be dead boring being a parent 💤💤💤

My now 17 yr old ds has been drinking at home with us for probably about a year. He has a couple of beers, occasionally a vodka with a mixer but not very often, he likes a glass of wine too.

He has been drunk at parties with friends, thrown up, had a hangover and all that but hates that sort of behaviour now, one of his friends was recently taken to hospital with alcohol poisoning which ds thought was ridiculous.

I think he has a responsible attitude to alcohol and knows when to stop.

I’m sure he will have blow outs in the future he is only 17 after all but I’m happy that he knows how serious it can get.

My parents used to buy me Smirnoff ice for special occasions at that age, never got properly drunk with them though...although they knew I did get drunk

From about the age of 10 I was allowed to have wine with lemonade with Sunday lunch, and on big occasions a weak shandy or something similar. My parents were very much of the mindset that they would far rather that we had a drink in their presence than get shit faced in the park on thunderbird.

I'm talking drunk enough that she says she can't remember certain things. Both she and her parent were pretty drunk 'apparently' I wasn't there so it could be over dramatised.

It's a regular occurrence she often gets drunk at the weekend with friends but as that's not possible at the moment. I get the try a drink, my parents allowed us a glass of wine with some lemonade on a Sunday and at Christmas I had a babycham (showing my age!) they did it so we wouldn't go mad once we were legally able to drink.

It's a different culture now I get that but I feel that getting shit faced with your 16yr old is pretty irresponsible. Having said that I realise it's none of my business!

I was out clubbing and getting drunk at 15 . Fortunately I knew my limits from being allowed to drink small amounts at family gatherings. To this day I have never been so drunk I don't know what I'm doing. I think there's a lot to be said for being allowed to test the limits in safe surroundings.

There's quite a lot of shades of grey with the word drunk. If they've not had alcohol before it could be hardly any. Tipsy or being sick drunk?

That said, it wasn't vodka and I wasn't falling over but at least the first 10 times I was tipsy was with my family around 16-17+, and all in the open. When I started going out with my friends for underage drinking and then at uni at 18, I was surprised at people not knowing their limits and not knowing a bottle of vodka is not the same as a bottle of wine. Queue friend getting her stomach pumped.

I think it very much depends on circumstances. Sitting around in a Mon night doing shots with your teen - not cool. Couple of drinks at a family party aged 16, personally wouldn't be upset about it.

I used to go out clubbing and get hammered at that age.

Would have been odd to get drunk with parents but did used to have wine with dinner etc

Lot of alcoholism in my family tbf

it is ok to get your 16 year old high on drugs? No of course not. Getting them drunk also risks alcohol poisoning and at worst their life.

No, not ever.

A few drinks and a bit giggly maybe. Hammered no. Might feel better about it aged 18/19.
My kids are both very sensible, will be more likely I get pissed while they sip tea

I agree with PP's. It make sense to demystify alcohol with older teens, but not to get drunk with them! Most of us were drinking by 16, but not spirits and not to excess. Tipsy on cider is on thing; really plastered on vodka another, IMO.

At family events such as weddings, birthdays, christenings, I was allowed to drink more than my usual one glass of wine with Sunday dinner, but this was monitored. If at any time it was thought I was getting too tipsy, I was cut off and put back onto soft drinks. I think the issue here, is whether the drinking to excess was encouraged? Like you said as well, there could be an element of over exaggeration.