Babies and booze

[AllyH9]

Shortly before Christmas I was standing outside Prezzo's restaurant in Farnham, Surrey when I noticed a couple sitting with a young child in the window table. As I watched, the woman offered her glass of wine to the child, who cannot have been more than two. The child took a large slug and beamed broadly. Over the next few minutes, the child clamoured for more wine and the woman allowed it to have two further large slugs. The man seemed unconcerned by this, but I was horrified.

I'm all for inculcating a responsible attitude to drinking, perhaps even allowing a teenager to drink in carefully-monitored moderation, but surely booze should not be given to babies? The amount the child drank must have had an effect on such a tiny body, and it seems clear that there is a link between childhood drinking and alcoholism in later life.

Since then, I have been berating myself: I should have been brave enough to go in and say something to the child's mother. My only hope now is that she might recognise herself and question the wisdom of her actions. What do other mums think?

can I say though....

it's babycham... it's booze fo t'baby.

"I'm really grateful for the nice posts, which have gone some way to restoring the reputation of Mumsnet!"

This is AIBU not parenting thread. As per the message at the top from MNHQ it is supposed to encourage debate and not everyone is supposed to agree with you.

You need to grow a thicker skin if you are going to start AIBU threads in the future.

that wasnt supposed to be a dig or "personal attack" btw.

All the best on MN.

this is a funny thread, nice one op. Tunbridge Wells PMSL

I watched my cousin give her two year old quite a few slugs of sherry one christmas. He was a hyperactive little bugger, I think she was trying to slow him down.

Thought it was a bit at the time, specially as cousin is a GP.

Wouldn't go so far as to start a thread about it though.

Ally it is a bit worrying that you have become the "babypolice" and walking up to parents saying do this, do that, don't do this etc.
Really, do you not have a life of your own to worry about? I am sure you can guess what my response to you would be if you dared to comment to me about my dd. I'm sure lots of other mn'ers feel the same way.

Mummy2Bookie, presumably you don't expect to be able to beat your child in public without any intervention? Ally didn't intervene in this situation where there some debate as to what might have been going on, but has done in apparently more straightforward scenarios.

I don't understand why people are getting so defensive at someone who is trying to do the right thing.

Was it red or white? Red is more healthy. Especially if it is organic

Not defensive about doing the right thing, the op took offense when people, rightly, asked if it was definitely wine in the glass.

Abuse is wrong no further arguments there but the op did not start a Aibu about stopping violence she posted about whether she should have "berated" these parents in public..... and a lot of people felt that unless she was 100% certain of her facts she should have let them be.

In all fairness the op came across as highly critical and whilst some of her actions were very noble of they are all correct, she has slightly presented herself as some one who actively looks for fault in other parents. Although I think this was by accident not design.

Get a fucking life, honestly you are bereating yourself for not going in and telling her right from wrong? Your the problem not her.

You cant even prove it was wine and if it was it is not your job to go and remind her how to parent. You should get a job where you can be paid to be all moral and nosey!

ffs

Giving booze to babies is as bad as physically assaulting them IMO! The damage just isnt as obvious!

Norwegienmoon, how is the OP the problem and not the mother who was (allegedly) giving her baby wine?

Just to be pedantic the OP described the child as "not more than 2" so lets say the child was in fact 2. It is stretching it a leeeetle bit to talk about poisoning babies.

I imagine there are very few toddlers that haven't been offered wine at some point - it is hardly akin to filling a newborns bottle with whisky.

That being said I remain unconvinced that it was wine - what mother of a toddler in her right mind doesn't need want to keep every last drop to herself

"I imagine there are very few toddlers that haven't been offered wine at some point"

What??? Seriously??? Where do you live?