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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel giving a 12 year old WKD is wrong.

38 replies

thecaptaincrocfamily · 06/03/2011 02:16

Just been to a party where the parents of a 12 yr old boy felt this was OK. I worry abhout the child liver! I have no issue with parents just thier logic xx

OP posts:
Chil1234 · 06/03/2011 08:15

Was it a sip of WKD or whole bottles? I remember as a kid being given little nips of granny's port & lemon or a very weak snowball concoction to try - Christmas mostly - and no harm done to my liver. If the 12 year-old at the party was necking back large amounts of WKD with his parents' collusion then I would definitely have an 'issue' with both the parents and their logic. Some people can't help being thick....

TattyDevine · 06/03/2011 08:20

That doesn't sit well with me either. When we were younger and allowed some alcohol, it was always "proper" alcohol, like some wine or a sip of beer. We always screwed up our faces and it sort of reiterated the fact that it was grown up stuff.

But to give WKD is, I dont know, sort of scary because it tastes like Irn Bru and you can barely taste the alcohol, so there's no "lesson" or anything in it (not that there is in my example to be fair but do you know what I mean?)

If its a sip, I guess a sip is a sip but if they were walking round with a bottle of it, then I think that is pretty foolish really.

howlonguntiltheweekend · 06/03/2011 08:30

I think a bottle (a as in one, singular) is OK. BUT only if they are enouraged to drink it sensibly and over a prolonged period, i.e. don't neck it! That way the boy is learning that that is the way alcohol should be enjoyed.

The fact that it tastes like soft drink isn't such a big deal to me.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/03/2011 08:39

I don't like that they taste like soft drinks. Children often have a natural aversion to traditional alcoholic drinks. These soft drink tasting versions break down that barrier prematurely.

Honeybee79 · 06/03/2011 08:39

Agree with Tatty. This differs from a sip of wine or beer and sounds inappropriate.

DaisyDaresYOU · 06/03/2011 08:45

They are really bad for your teeth so yanbu.I've stopped drinking them after what the dentist told my sister and why would you want a child to have taste of alcohol.I noticed people that are alcoholics started drinking from a young age.I know not all but quite a few

DaisyDaresYOU · 06/03/2011 08:49

I don't mean just from sips by the way lol but drinking whole bottles

MillsAndDoom · 06/03/2011 08:49

As a parent of a 12yo - no I wouldn't give him a bottle to neck, but if he asks for a taste of my wine I will allow him a little taste.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 06/03/2011 08:49

Giving anyone WKD is wrong.

thunderbird69 · 06/03/2011 08:57

I can't see how anyone could possibly think that is ok

baskingseals · 06/03/2011 09:05

think there is a big difference between having a glass of watered down wine with a meal and giving a 12yo a bottle of wkd

sims2fan · 06/03/2011 09:11

My nephew was about 13 when his mum started letting him have a bottle or 2 of alcopop type drinks at family parties. I remember saying to my husband that I thought it was bad as in my opinion if you think your parents are ok with you drinking you're more likely to do it to excess. He's now 16 and gets absolutely plastered most weekends, including being sick and passing out.

Vallhala · 06/03/2011 09:15

Agree entirely with Tatty.

DD1 is 15 and asked me recently if I'd buy her some WKD for one of our 'girlie nights'. The answer was a resounding no! Although she is welcome to a glass of wine, a bottle of beer etc I am not buying a type of sweetened, fizzy pop style alcohol I wouldn't myself drink for a 15 yo child.

Goblinchild · 06/03/2011 09:15

I went with the 'Yes, you can have a sip' line, and watched their faces screw up in disgust at the taste of beer, wine and spirits.
Now mine are 16 and 20. The 16 year old dislikes alcohol, the 20 year old drinks in moderation.
Alcohol tasting like pop is a Bad Thing IMO, designed to get children spending and drinking ASAP by the marketers.

LornaGoon · 06/03/2011 09:56

WKD! No.

Now, a lovely merlot or crispy chardonnay would be much better. Gees, you want the kid to learn something.

Grin
Particles · 06/03/2011 10:05

My parents used to give me alcohol occasionally. I think their argument was that they would rather me drink a small amount in a safe environment and kill off the mystery than go off to uni never having tried alcohol and end up paralytic every weekend as a lot of girls with far stricter parents than mine did. I only ever drink alcohol on a night out now and then not to excess - it has never really interested me, to be honest.

ihearthuckabees · 06/03/2011 10:11

My BIL used to allow this with his kids from the age of 12, and they now get plastered all the time. One has only just turned 18, but drinks regularly and in large quantities. It's possible they would have done this anyway - I think it's partly to do with the environment you grow up in, the sort of friends you have and so on - but alcopops definitely make it easier to get a taste for booze. 'm sure they wouldn't have enjoyed a half of guinness at that age!

chopchopbusybusy · 06/03/2011 10:23

My DDs are 17 and 14. They have had a taste of beer, lager, wine and cider, from quite a young age (under 12) DD1 quite liked the cider and DD2 likes none of them. DD1 has the occasional glass of cider at home, but never finishes it, so obviously not that keen. I would never offer them alcopops. They are IMO the work of the devil.

WideWebWitch · 06/03/2011 10:24

Yanbu
Agree with Goblinchild

Bloodymary · 06/03/2011 11:47

Gggrr, alcopops of any description drive me mad.
I wonder how many young girls have found themselves out of control because it just tastes like a soft drink.
Let them taste proper alcohol.

loopylou6 · 06/03/2011 11:57

I let ds have a small bottle of smirnoff ice on Christmas day with his dinner.

vintageteacups · 06/03/2011 12:04

howlong think how affected an adult could be (I'm talking about myself who is now a lightweight after a long time breastfeeding) after drinking a bottle of WKD.

At 12, it's wrong and encourages the drinking of alcohol at an easrly age.

It is not the same as a really weak shandy or a couple of sips of your nan's sherry.

I'm not against giving older children (13/14) a 1/4 glass of wine, then filled with lemonade for example; the French water down red wine for children from an early age but a whole bottle of WKD is 5% alcohol.

ShavingGodfreysPrivates · 06/03/2011 12:09

12 is took young IMO.

I did buy a 4 pack of lager for my 14 year old when he went to a party, but that was basically a can each for him and his 3 mates. I also cleared it with the parents before I agree dto buy it for him.

It's one thing demystifying alcohol so it is treated responsibly but another thing to encourage drinking at that age and make it seem acceptable.

pranma · 06/03/2011 13:20

Never heard of WKD myself but I wouldnt give a 12 yr old alcohol unless it was a sip of diluted wine with a meal.

Original poster
thecaptaincrocfamily · 29/03/2011 21:33

I think I feel relieved that I wasn't over reacting. What you have said is how I felt. Giving 'real' alcohol such as wine, beer etc is likely to be liked and more of a deterrent. Alcopops are just sugary drinks and because they don't taste like alcohol may get consumed more quickly by a child of that age. I said to the father that I have no problem giving wine with a meal etc but felt that it was not appropriate for him to be drinking alcopops.

He had 3 bottles that I witnessed Shock

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