to think there's nothing wrong with drinking alcohol by yourself...even if you have children to look after

[orlantina]

DF was up recently. DS mentioned to him that I had had some wine by myself. Just enough to get tipsy but not drunk. DS is 12. DF asked me if I drank it alone and then asked if I was lonely. I seemed to get the impression that he had an issue with me drinking wine by myself - as if it's something that can only be done socially.

DS is on his PS4. I have some wine at the weekends but not a lot. It's just me and him. And I do have a tiny social life during the week (on Thursdays)

AIBU to think there is nothing wrong with enjoying some alcohol by yourself?

It's fine

I think when a child is 12 you're pretty much fine to have a drink I think - although not "drunk" - and I say that as someone who is completely tee total through choice. They're old enough to sort themselves out if necessary if they wake up and there's a problem etc. Very different if the child is a toddler or much younger.

Those scoffing at the 'A&E' line: for some of us who use it as a benchmark it means being capable of making the decisions which make a trip to A&E to happen. So calling a taxi or an ambulance and having enough wits about you to manage it is fulfilling that benchmark. It's not about being sober enough to drive.

^ This. The driving limits are (rightfully) low, if DH is home and we're drinking then probably neither of us is sober enough to drive. But at least one adult in the house needs to be sober enough to remember when the last dose of calpol was/ judge how bad the bumped head is / change the vomited-on sheets / etc.

Going against the grain here but i don't think you should be getting tipsy around your twelve year old
I think it is scary and unsettling for him to see you affected by alcohol acting slightly strangely especially when your dh is away and he is 100 reliant on you. I think his email mentioning it your dad is significant