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?

My children had a whole series of lessons on drugs and alcohol (ending with them all being presented with t-shirts by the local police liaison officer - we live in North America, t-shirts are a must :)) when they were round about 10 or so.

It was a bit black and white for us, so we supplemented it with a more nuanced message at home. The alcohol side was more sensible, a 'know your limits' type message.

dh and I enjoy a glass of wine/beer/cider of an evening and have been known to get quite merry with the children up and about so it would be a bit hypocritical to teach abstinence nor would I want to.

They have also had lots of self esteem, anti bullying, and general being nice to each other type courses at school too.

no there's more than making them aware that drinking too much carries health risks. there's making them aware that for some people they will not be able to control their drinking - telling them it's all fine and dandy so long as you don't over do it is a lie. if you're going to teach about alcohol then you have to teach about the signs and symptoms and reality of alcoholism. and it isn't as simple as 'drinks too much'.

my personal view is that substance education and morality lessons in primary school aged children are often utterly pointless - so much changes at adolescence. what you need if you're going to do it is to deliver it to adolescents and NOT for teachers to deliver it but the relevant agencies and talks from people who have had problems with these issues and can make it real for the kids.

i was a secondary school teacher and can recall having a man on day release from prison come in to talk to the kids about drugs and where it had landed him. he was able to give a far more effective and believable and relevant message to kids than a teacher could have and he was targeting them at the right age.

and it can't be taught in a vacuum - the lesson has no value if you haven't already looked at mental health and well being, self esteem, balanced living etc. basically the pshe/phase/pse (name varies school to school) curriculum needs completely overhauling to stop being so single issue 'bitty' and to be a real, meaningful subject delivered by experts and outside agencies rather than lobbed on every teacher to do with perhaps little knowledge, experience or resources as it is currently.

for a start instead of having one hour a week lesson (and teachers are never fully prepared or using that hour meaningfully and often that is not their fault because a coordinator is getting paid a token extra grand or two to coordinate and plan for the whole school and you get what you pay for essentially) you could have a day per term (perhaps when the teachers are having their training day) given over to a topic such as mental health. you can have Mind in (they're desperate to get into schools in this area), talks from people who suffer mental health problems, workshops exploring the issue etc.

the next term it might be drugs and alcohol - again relevant agencies, individuals, workshops etc.

it's an area i'd love to help develop but schools aren't budging quick enough to keep up with social needs.