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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Giving a two year old beer... <Mortified Face>

101 replies

FrothyDragon · 15/09/2012 18:00

My judgey pants are hoiked up so far, they've covered my head, here...

Anyway, on a few occasions I've caught DB allowing DNephew, who's just turned 2, a few sips of beer. It seems, where friends are concerned, it's "Oh so funny", but it's seriously making me wince even thinking about it.

Both DB and DSil are very liberal when it comes to alcohol. DNiece, aged 7, has been allowed bacardi breezers on special occasions, and my concerns regarding this, and giving DNephew beer, have been shot down with claims I need to learn to "chill" a bit.

AIBU? Over-reacting? Or have I missed a way to broach the issue with them?

OP posts:
SecretNutellaFix · 15/09/2012 18:29

you mean aside from the fact that it is illegal to give alcohol to a child under 5 years?

YANBU at all.

It doesn't sound like there will be a way to broach the subject with them. They seem to be highly defensive, and have a disturbing dependency on alcohol if they see nothing wrong with allowing children of that age alcohol.

Original poster
FrothyDragon · 15/09/2012 18:30

I'm not sure how much DNephew drank last night, but it seemed to be DB let him take control of what he drank, and when.

Duchess, I think I'd have flipped then, too.

I just don't see the need for children that young to be allowed alcohol.

OP posts:
crackcrackcrak · 15/09/2012 18:31

A friend of exp does this with his grandson who is nearly 3 and boasts about how he is getting him in to guiness early. I told him if I caught him doing it myself I would report him to ss and I bloody well meant it Angry

QueenSconetta · 15/09/2012 18:32

Like others I think the sips of beers is not really an issue but a whole bacardi breezer at 7 Shock outrageous.

I am a lightweight but sometimes I am tipsy after 1 alchopop type thing.

I very very occasionally let DD (2.10) suck a tiny bit of wine off my finger but I wouldn't let her take an actual drink of it.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 15/09/2012 18:32

I am more than happy for my children to try a little sip of wine, champagne or beer when they are a little older. They are however 5 and 1 and imo that is too young. What other people do with their children is ofcourse up to them though.

I would never, ever give my child an alchopop to try as I don't think it's wise to encourage drinking those as they do not taste of alcohol so it's easy to drink lots of them. I know from my own experience how easy it is to get off yor tits on alcopops.

Although I say it's their kids, their choice I will admit to being Shock at the idea of a 7 y/o being given a fucking barcardi breezer!

squeakytoy · 15/09/2012 18:36

I do agree that 7 is too young to be given a full bottle of breezer. I would let a 12yo have a couple at a family party, but probably no younger than that.

A few sips of anything isnt going to do any harm at all to any child.

As a kid who had recurrent ear infections, my mum would often make me a very weak hot toddy to help me sleep, and I didnt end up with a drink problem or a pickled liver by the time I was 10.

Labootin · 15/09/2012 18:38

A whole Bacardi breezer for a seven year old ?

Ick

There is absolutely no rational explanation for this

Dcs have had a tiny sip of shandy at 7 and even then I was cats bum face about it ( similar family set up)

I would go nuclear tbh and I hope you do.

Labootin · 15/09/2012 18:42

And silvery moon you really think it's ok for a seven year old to be drinking that shit?

Fuck me !

SilveryMoon · 15/09/2012 18:49

I think it's ok for a 7 year old to have a small glass of it on a special occasion if that's what's there.

catgirl1976 · 15/09/2012 18:50

A bacardi breezer at 7?????

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 15/09/2012 18:55

Sounds like its being done to get a few laughs...

... and yep its not funny, because it is illegal under 5.

After 5 up to the parents and even though you might not like it, its not going to land your brother in court or under the supervision of social services... if they do it in front of the wrong person they might end up with more than they bargined for.

So hoick those pants as much as you like.

MNhoneydragonHQ · 15/09/2012 18:58

I guess you could argue a few sips at two is harmful of it means you progressed to 275ml of 5% vodka based drinks

MNhoneydragonHQ · 15/09/2012 18:59

By seven years old

orangebanana · 15/09/2012 19:09

A sip at 2 would bother me. A sip is an awful lot for a 2yo. Bacardi Breezer I have no words for Shock

ContinentalKat · 15/09/2012 19:19

I am bloody speechless!
No wonder this country has a problem with binge drinking if 2 year olds regularly have sips of beer and 7 year olds down Bacardi breezers.

Socknickingpixie · 15/09/2012 19:44

continental its mad, i regularly over the years have had to stop other people giving sips of booze to my babies and toddlers and often when i have ive been met with the omg your so uptight face and they usually say stuff like "it wont do any harm".

its almost like some people have set it as a personal goal to do it and it makes me very very cross i think do it with your own kids if you want but not mine.

orangebanana · 15/09/2012 19:49

I know of a child who got beer in her bottle to help her sleep.

I shit you not.

KellyElly · 15/09/2012 20:13

I got flamed for being shocked that someone had let their 18 month year old have sips of champagne. I find that whole MINUTE attitude very strange. Firstly its illegal and secondly why would such a baby NEED to try alcohol. Just don't get it really. Fine when kids are a bit older and showing an interest to show alcohol isn't a big deal but please someone tell me why ypu would give it to a toddler - even a sip. Just the actual reasoning behind it?!

KellyElly · 15/09/2012 20:14

Don't know where minute came from!

NoWayNoHow · 15/09/2012 20:20

We have friends who do this too - I watch them giving their 2 years old DS sips of wine.

It's just so odd and unnecessary - why on earth would a child of that age need alcohol?

YADNBU

GoldPedanticPanda · 15/09/2012 20:22

Oh dear, I think I just winded myself pulling my judgy pants up so quickly! What are they thinking??

Socknickingpixie · 15/09/2012 20:46

kelly i wouldnt have flamed you i agree i dont see the point

StealthPolarBear · 15/09/2012 20:53

"I don't see the problem with letting a child have a small drink on a special occasion" but why? What is the point? They are children, why do special occasions have to involve alcohol? Ditto for wine or beer to a 2yo - why?

catwoo · 15/09/2012 21:01

meh! asip get a grip folks!
A barcadi breezer for a 7 yo though! Surely not a whole one!

FamiliesShareGerms · 15/09/2012 21:04

I don't have a problem with the sips of beer thing (it's how DS knows that he hates the taste!). But the Bacardi Breezer...sheesh! Having seen the effect a single bottle of Bacardi Breezer has on people who don't normally drink (eg MiL), presumably that little girl is getting pissed? Bloody hell.

Incidentally, apparently it's thought that alcohol can be given to a small child under medical supervision because back in the day it was used as an anaesthetic