Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Letting 4 year old have a sip..

153 replies

RoseGardenDreams · 12/08/2018 22:40

of wine! Aibu to be disgusted and upset by this? At a so-called friends house last night and the 4 year old was begging to try some (and said it in a way that means she's clearly tried it before as she said it makes her laugh) and he just let her. I was too shocked to say anything but we made our excuses and left.

OP posts:
9amTrain · 12/08/2018 22:41

Yanbu. Why do they need to have a sip?!

glintandglide · 12/08/2018 22:42

I don’t think it’s that awful. It won’t do anything to the 4 year old

bella2bella · 12/08/2018 22:43

I've let mine have a sip. They hated it (thankfully) so hopefully won't ask again!

Greggers2017 · 12/08/2018 22:46

It's a sip, that's all, nothing more. It won't do her any harm whatsoever. It's not like they gave her a glass.

YeahDefinitelyNameChanging · 12/08/2018 22:46

Illegal, some risks depending on how much of a sip , no benefits. YANBU.

Nottheduchessofcambridge · 12/08/2018 22:46

I think disgusted and upset is a slight over reaction on your behalf. It’s not something I would have done but it’s not like they are doing tequila shots with toddlers.

PippilottaLongstocking · 12/08/2018 22:48

One of the school mums I know regularly gives her 2 year old full cups of coffee! Because ‘he loves it’...

victoriaspongecake · 12/08/2018 22:48

yadbu. A sip won't harm and in my opinion and experience makes the excitement of the unknown quite boring for the child who then isn't obsessed about drinking when they get to 13!

Canshopwillshop · 12/08/2018 22:48

You left because your friends let their child have a sip of wine??! ! It’s fairly normal in other European countries and I’ve certainly let mine have the odd taste - so far they hate it.

PippilottaLongstocking · 12/08/2018 22:48

Yanbu!!

Birdsgottafly · 12/08/2018 22:49

A sip won't do any harm. You've completely over reacted.

BlueBug45 · 12/08/2018 22:50

It's actually illegal to give an under 5 alcohol. Their bodies are simply too small to metabolise it effectively and it could poison them.

I personally am not disgusted but would tell the parent off.

6+ year olds if they want a sip I would let them and ignore it as most kids find alcohol disgusting. My first drink was Guinness and it was so horrible it put me off trying any again until I was 13.

MummySparkle · 12/08/2018 22:52

What's so wrong with that? My 4 and 5 year olds have often had a small sip of wine, beer etc. They've usually found it disgusting but we always encourage them to try a little bit of things.

However, we are their parents and it's our choice. Not sure how I'd feel about someone else giving them alcohol without checking it with me. But if you were there whilst she asked why didn't you just say no?

namechange2pointoh · 12/08/2018 22:52

Yeah they need to be 5 Wink

But seriously, I don't see the point, but I don't drink in front of my kids anyway.

BlueBug45 · 12/08/2018 22:56

@MummySparkle they need to be 5 or older by law. Unfortunately if your 4 year olds copies their older sibling(s) it difficult to stop them....

RoboJesus · 12/08/2018 22:58

You're supposed to after 5 so while it's not great, it's not terrible.

angelikacpickles · 12/08/2018 22:58

Complete overreaction.

Original poster
RoseGardenDreams · 12/08/2018 22:59

Growing up with an alcoholic as a mother I suppose I'm hypersensitive to things like this and 'disgusted' is probably the wrong choice or word. I was uncomfortable staying there with my dd as I didn't want her to think that it was acceptable to try alcohol at such a young age. I just think it's so wrong and completely pointless Confused

OP posts:
RachelAnneJ · 12/08/2018 23:00

Mine have never done it but it wouldn't bother me particularly.

PurpleDaisies · 12/08/2018 23:03

How much alcohol do you think is in a sip of wine? Confused

PUPupTheJam · 12/08/2018 23:05

Meh.

My 7 year old tasted my JD&coke the other day.

It's "yucky and he's never drinking, even at his wedding!!" apparantly!

arethereanyleftatall · 12/08/2018 23:07

It is wrong and pointless.
But if I were you I would have just ignored it, and never thought about it again.
Your reaction was so over the top that would have had more of an impression on your child than simply ignoring it.

namechange2pointoh · 12/08/2018 23:08

You're supposed to after 5 so while it's not great, it's not terrible.

No you are not fucking supposed to Hmm

martinidry · 12/08/2018 23:09

You actually left someone's house and rejected him as a 'so-called' friend because he allowed his child a sip of wine in his house? That's an overreaction, a massive one.

A second massive overreaction would be telling the parents off and if you did that to me I'd give you more than a telling off by return, Bluebug45. It is not your place to 'tell off' grown ups as if they are your children.

SomedaySometime · 12/08/2018 23:10

Good grief.

Mine had a sip when they were that age and wanted to know what the wine and beer that the grown ups were drinking tasted like.

Small children don't like the taste so a one off sip was all they wanted.

Eldest didn't drink until they were 16/17 and the youngest is 12 and has no interest in the slightest.

Far better that than to turn it into a Big Grown Up Treat and have them seek it out for themselves.

It wasn't pointless. It's no more pointless (or harmful) than letting a 4 year old taste any other drink or foodstuff that is unlikely to appeal to their palate.

I think it's far better to have a healthy respect for alcohol, given that most people drink it, than forbid it outright.

Swipe left for the next trending thread