To think getting quite drunk with a baby is odd??

[Choccywoccydoo10]

NC as could be outing.

So we are suppose to be visiting friends this weekend. They have a 6 month old we have a toddler. They want to go out for dinner and drink then go back to theirs and pop open the champagne. Apparently they have quite a few bottles. My DP friend then said he's going to guzzle the wine and his wife will be drinking too.

Obviously most of the drinking will be when the kids are in bed but AIBU to think you wouldn't do this?? What if something happened like an emergency and you needed to go out or the baby needed something. I wouldn't want to get really drunk while caring for my D'S.

I'm all for having fun and a laugh but a glass or 2 not 3 bottles of champagne and guzzling wine!

AIBU or would other people do this?

So thinking it’s sad that kids are so exposed to their parents love of alcohol that they can only think of booze when it’s time to write about their parents is a bad thing? Fuck me have I landed in an alternate universe????

Totally agree it's fine to have a few while the kids are in bed BUT can you imagine reading the daily fail, an article about a child that came a cropper and the parents didn't realise because they were drunk or had been drinking... The overall opinion would no doubt be careless parents!

Its fine to have one or two when caring for a child, but I would always want to make sure one adult was pretty sober, surely thats normal?
Its not just about an emergency, I wouldn't trust myself to feed a baby or hold a baby when drunk. Let alone if a child got ill. I drop things all the time after about 2/3 glasses of wine and I know a baby's different but there is a chance there. Its just not a risk I think id be willing to take for the sake of some alcohol. What if you feel into a deep sleep and didnt hear the baby cry?
I do also think you cant rely on a taxi to take you to hospital, on a weekend at night taxis can take an hour to come near me if you haven't booked. Having one adult sober just seems sensible, you can still get drunk on occasions just if both of you desperately need to drink then you need to get a babysitter.

When we write Mother's Day poetry and similar activities we see the children who say that Mummy likes wine, Mummy loves getting drunk, Daddy falls over when he has beer etc. It's just sad.

To be fair, DD DID once write that "Mummy had wine, daddy had wine, we went to bed late." at infant school. However, it was a weekend, we were at a big family party, dh and I weren't driving, at no point was anyone even vaguely drunk, and there were several other adults who were not drinking at all in the venue and where we were staying over. And when she said late - well, yes it was after her normal bedtime - but nothing of any concern for a one off special occasion. And she had a massively fun evening with lots of her family. It just happened to involve some adults having 2 or 3 glasses of wine or beer too. There was nothing sad about the day at all.

BUT can you imagine reading the daily fail, an article about a child that came a cropper and the parents didn't realise because they were drunk or had been drinking... The overall opinion would no doubt be careless parents!

They could fail to notice because they were asleep, or at work, or in a bath, or reading a book. There are a million reasons, and no doubt the DM would blame the parents no matter what.

The sanctimonious priggery on this thread is sickening. It'd drive you to drink if you weren't already.
I've just poured a large glass and I'm in sole charge of several children. My choice ,not yours to make, so keep your shite to yourselves.

I do also think you cant rely on a taxi to take you to hospital, on a weekend at night taxis can take an hour to come near me if you haven't booked.

What about parents who cant afford to own a car?
Or a parent who has never had driving lessons?
Or a parent who has a broken leg and can't drive temporarily?
Or a parent who has a medical condition or desirability so are unable to drive?
Or a parent who needs to take medication that advises they shouldn't operate machinery (as this does mean driving a car often too)?

Are they bad parents too?

So thinking it’s sad that kids are so exposed to their parents love of alcohol that they can only think of booze when it’s time to write about their parents is a bad thing?

Its a bad thing that you're so lacking in brain power that you think that because a child might say "my mother likes wine" that it is the only thing they can attach to their parents.
My DS once wrote "my daddy is a dinosaur", I dread to think how utterly confused you would be by that!

@hotbutteredcrumpetsandtea ironic that it’s you who is resorting to insults and aggression isn’t it? And I’m the stupid one? or is that wine making you a bit nippy

I really don't understand why you need to have a sober person in the house to take you to hospital? If you apply this logic then surely everyone, young and older, would need a sober person with them at all times for impromptu hospital visits. What if it was the sober person in your house that needed the hospital? Do children really become so ill in the night that need hospital treatment when they went to bed well? Wouldn't you just ring an ambulance if they were that sick? Or call on a neighbour or relative or friend in an emergency? It would be rather strange to spend the whole of your parenthood without being able to share a bottle of wine with your partner because you have to take it in turns every night to be on 'hospital run stand-by' . This ritual could last all your life.

Oh notreallyarsed miaow.

Ahh. Now it's lack of brains that goes with a dislike of alcohol. I can assure you I have a decent brain. Who said it was confusing, by the way? I said it was sad.

Children can and do write all sorts. They also tell us all sorts. We can usually tell the difference between the parents that have the odd glass of wine and the ones who drink like teenagers who have just discovered booze.

Well you might think you do ProfessorCat but you've got absolutely no idea. How do you know? Apart from catty gossip with your colleagues? Unless you're in the houses of these people you have absolutely no idea who drinks , who doesn't, and who drinks to excess.

'I would always want to make sure one adult is sober. Surely that's normal?'
I have never, in all the parents from all the walks of life I've met, ever met anyone who would be so paranoid that their child will suddenly fall ill in the middle of the night having gone to bed fine, that they would never go over the drink drive limit. This is a new level of precious parenting I've only discovered on mn.

It's a very small village school. 90% of our parents are well known in the community to us and each other, one of them is the barmaid in the local and a lot of them are friends outside school.

I see a lot of the parents on weekends.

I'm not one for "catty gossip". I like to find out facts.

Oh and also, social services are involved in the more severe cases, so that's fact too.

I'm with you op, not necessary to get drunk to have a good night, and certainly not appropriate imo when you are the primary caregiver of a child.

Plenty of time when they are older for that. Only in the UK is planning to get drunk an acceptable notion.

The drunkest people I have ever seen, and I was one of them, was a parent teacher quiz night held in the church hall.
C of E first School. Deputy head was carried home in a fire life.

Monday was fun.

I'm a teacher and I've just had a meeting with a parent who was obviously drunk (at 4pm) and is driving with a 6 year old in the car.
I know as I witnessed it and have now reported it.
That ok too? To deny that we don't have a massive problem with alcohol in this country is ridiculous. (For the record I'm not a teetotal but I think being pissed around kids is grim and irresponsible)

Well there you go. Caring small village (non-gossipy) teachers. No wonder people are wary of moving too rurally.

Most of the teachers I have worked with have been alcohol obsessed too.

Yes, people should be wary of community rural spirit, where people look out for others. It's a horrible thing.

Oh no mumsie clearly yours are small and non judgemental?

Being slightly merry when you have teenagers brings on the ‘you are embaresshng yourself and us’ talk. Far more fun when they are young enough to put to bed and not judge you

ProfessorCat sorry to disagree but I found it harder watching my parents having a drink every night than if they would have gone on a night out and on a bender every now and then.

I have always found it very strange that having 1 or 2 every night is 'normal'. It might be quite common but it's not fucking normal. It's actually a bit sad.

You're not disagreeing as I find that extremely sad too. I frequently roll eyes at all the people struggling with Go Sober for October bullshit because how will they manage parenting without their glass of prosecco every night?

@whatsoccuringlovlie mine are small and non judgemental?

Jesus Christ ProfessorCat you sound worse with each post. So you can't bear parents drinking. But when they try and do something about it, you don't like that either. Your eyes must never be central. What a sad way to be.