To think that how to drink should not be taught in schools

[EXmrsmascarahead]

I'm watching loose women ATM (I know I know, the remote is on the table) they are discussing the alcohol consumption guide lines, they are suggesting that how to drink sensibly should be taught in primary schools.

AIBU to think the stock response of teach them in school is not addressing the issue but instead passing the buck?

I would love to say YANBU but sadly there are enough parents who think that bringing up their children is the school's responsibility that YABU. There is such a terrible drinking culture in this country that I doubt many parents are exactly fantastic drinking role-models for their DC anyway.

From the thread title I was imagining wine tastings, and cocktail making (and consuming), and probably in secondary.

I think there are already age appropriate modules for use in PSHE. So I think the speaker may not have been that familiar with what goes on in schools already.

In primary school? That's a bit much...

Year 7 is early enough for it to be prevention rather than cure. Isnt it?

I can see it being a sensible subject to cover in secondary school but am a bit shocked that anyone should consider this useful material for primary school children

I wouldn't be too happy about this being taught in primary really. From the point of view that we don't drink at all as a religious belief, so when children are quite young ie primary age, i would not want teachers there saying "drinking in moderation is okay, just drink sensibly" as there is just no need for it with children that age, and may confuse.
Secondary age if it comes up then fine, it is suited to pshe classes to discuss about all of that

YANBU... and why can't I get images of the St Trinians moonshine still out of my head? Would be brilliant at the school fete... "Y4 science project, 80% proof hooch, £3/litre"

FGS someone blow the TV studio up before the government get wind of the suggestion and add it to their ever-growing list of Fucking Stupid Ideas.

My 6 year old daughter has been discussing this at school in assembly. She cam ehome telling us not to have our wine and beer anymore because it will make us lose control...She wanted to know why we still drink it.

It is very difficult to explain to her that a glass of wine on a fri/sat is not harmful but that is she right. I feel she is a little young as although she has the facts, she is not mature enough to understand them.

My mum (primary school teacher) used to say that teaching the dangers of smoking and drinking are pointless at that age as you're preaching to the converted. It would be better to focus on resisting peer pressure as that's where most kids start on booze and fags.

Mind you, she did once have the following exchange

"Jenny, what would you say if you were out with friends and one of them was pressuring you to have a drink?"

"only if you're buying"

Probably going to get flamed but in my job (youth worker in so not-so-great areas) I work with kids whos parents are drinking excessively and buying alcohol for their children - we do work around alcohol awareness (what exactly is 1 unit/how alcohol may make us make bad decisions/social effects of drinking etc) but I know we're not reaching every child in the area.

I think something age appropriate at school where attendance is compulsary (and in primary before secondary and 'bunk off' etc and then you miss them again) is a good idea

the trouble is, yet again, that you can make a bunch of primary kids believe and agree to anything. it has absolutely no bearing on what they'll do in adolescence though.

we all parroted smoking is bad, drugs are bad, drinking is bad, always remember the green cross code etc etc with heart felt earnest at 7 years of age.

That's the thing - kids are like- "Why would you do that? It tastes horrible and kills you?"

They know that being really drunk is bad, but they don't get told about the good bit before that.

"we all parroted smoking is bad, drugs are bad, drinking is bad, always remember the green cross code etc etc with heart felt earnest at 7 years of age."

Again, dependant on how/where you grew up. Kids I work(ed) with have very different view from these, even by age 7

I think what worked for me (I never drink - well very rarely - and don't smoke) was having parents who never drank or smoked.

And having anxiety issues.
I don't like losing control ever, but I do think the fact that their lives were oK without going to the pub (for anything other than a sandwich on a sunday walk) meant I could see how life would be without drinking, and I quite liked it that way.

There was pressure in my teens of course but most people found it a non issue, told me I was stupid enough without drinking as well, and it meant I only got cautioned by the police once while on the parapet of M&S

DP otoh has always been brought up in a culture where people drank, and even now he is ancient, he doesn't seem to understand the concept of stopping.

The good bit? What is the good bit about being drunk?

Sorry, I probably sound obtuse but I genuinely don't see what is enjoyable about it.

no on second thoughts...going by what DP says, it's the complete lack of responsibility, as perceived by the person who is drinking.

some people do it to stop worrying, to stop feeling responsible and careful and like they are behaving correctly. They have had enough of feeling like that.

Trouble is someone has to be responsible if they are not and that normally ends up being me.

Um, okaaaaay. You obviously have big issues with alcohol.

My point was that people who drink alcohol in moderation (not getting rat arsed/ losing control/ abdicating personal responsibility) usually do so because they like the neurological effect. There's no getting around that.

it's a depressant

the neurological effect isn't a good one really. it's the lowering of boundaries and inhibitions people like.

i dare say if we taught children to be in touch with their emotions, be open and communicative and enjoy being themselves less of them would feel the need to rely on alcohol.

i think as with many things in this country that are perceived as social problems the real issue is mental health and well being. that's what we need to be pushing in schools but instead they fire fight on single issues.

the neurological effect isn't a good one really. it's the lowering of boundaries and inhibitions people like.

Sorry- that's what I meant- the effect on your brain- prob the wrong word. However, again, I think with lowering of boundaries/ inhibitions, we're taking it all the way to drunk and that's where anti-drinking rhetoric focuses.

i.e. dont drink because it's bad for your health and makes you lose control. (direct correlation between alcohol consumption and drunkenness)

Well, yes, in excess, that's true, but many many people drink but don't drink to excess.

Yes I have issues with it.

The thing is I was responding to this in part: 'They know that being really drunk is bad, but they don't get told about the good bit before that.'

It wasn't clear at what point it stopped being 'good' and became 'not good', from that sentence.

Anyway there was no need to use a sarcastic tone. I was just saying what I thought.

telling kids the 'good' bits ignores the fact that some of those kids will be predisposed to alcoholism and being incapable of moderate drinking. some won't be able to drink sensibly or avoid getting drunk.

My immediate thought with the 'let's teach it in schools' conversation is "When, exactly?"
There are very few things that someone doesn't at some point say "It really needs to be taught in primary schools."

It's not as though a school day is half empty at the moment, so if you add sensible drinking, personal finances, personal hygiene etc etc etc then something has to be taken out.
The question I think needs to be asked is "What would you take out to make room for these sessions?" If you can't find anything that is unimportant enough to ditch, then this discussion has no place in schools. It doesn't mean it's not valuable, but it does recognise that kids are in school for a short period of time and you cannot cover everything for life as well as the academic stuff in that time frame. So you have to prioritise.

swallowed but denying that there are good bits, and that is fundamentally why people drink, makes it nonsensical and produces unnecessary angst, like the poster above who is now getting lectured by her primary aged child over drinking a bit of wine at home.

Most adults in the Uk drink alcohol: fact
Some adults drink far too much: fact

But not all adults drink too much, so I think that any education needs to focus on excessive drinking, and not drinking per se, because it is highly highly unrealistic to believe that we are going to breed a generation of tee-totallers from lecturing them about the evils of drink.

Saying "dont ever try alcohol because you might become an alcoholic" is really unlikely to be successful. They're all going to try it. You just have to make them aware that drinking too much carries health risks and that binge drinking is dangerous.