To ask to much you drink when in charge of your child?

[meow1989]

Just wondered as to what everyone's idea of a sensible limit is?

If DH is drinking a couple of beers I'll tend not to, but tonight fancied a glass of prosecco (home measure so about 200ml). Had poured myself another but then put it back as I didn't have dinner (big lunch) and we have a 7 month old DS.

My thinking is if I need to I'll be able drive if I absolutely needed to and I'll wake easily if DS does (still in our room, sleeps through except for dummy wakes, only cosleep in morning after 6.30 bottle).

DH doesn't necessarily think like this and didn't see anything wrong with us both having a second (absolutely amicable brief conversation as to why I put mine back) so I'm just curious as to what everyone else sets as their limit?

None.
But I never did drink at home, I've always thought it is a sad sort of thing to do.

I greatly doubt the A&E nurse will call SS because you had two glasses of wine on a Saturday then took a sick child to hospital in a taxi. Apart from it being VERY unlikely it’s also scaremongering. SS don’t get involved because you’ve dared to have a couple of glasses of wine

You can doubt all you like. I’m not prepared to take the risk that I have the bad luck to come across a nurse in a bad mood who doesn’t like the look of me or an over zealous social worker. No thanks. Once you’ve got those fuckers involved your life is never the same. You take whatever risks you like with your own family.

Do people really avoid having more than one drink in case peacefully sleeping children suddenly develop an illness that will require instant, complicated decisions, perhaps a trip to A&E and possible social services involvement if alcohol is smelt on a parent’s breath? I mean obviously staying off the booze is cheaper and healthier but no one I know works on the basis that one parent must be 100% sober at all times.

And how do you know it will be a sick child and not a child who fell out of bed and bumped his face and A&E decide it looks suspicious so refer to SS? You have no idea how an emergency would play out.

A glass of wine

I don't think it matters unless you are in sole charge.
Then it depends on the individual, but under the limit for driving, if you drive.

I mean obviously staying off the booze is cheaper and healthier but no one I know works on the basis that one parent must be 100% sober at all times.

I totally agree that these threads don’t reflect real life

I do kizzy

I always find these kinds of threads very telling, when held up against the rest of the site as to what kind of people are posting on here. The complete dedication to sobriety, the refusal to make their children give up a seat, the hardcore transphobia, the hysteria over parking. Irl everyone has a glass or two of wine here and there, and yes sometimes they drive after having one or two.

So are we saying people who cant drive cant be parents? If its an emergency its ambulance surely? Ive never personally had more than one drink when in charge of young children but as long as you're not too drunk to respond sensibly to the care demands a child makes , whats the problem?

“Not so silly when the A&E nurse smells alcohol on you and SS are called and you have to explain your entire existence to them”

Preposterous.

Do people really avoid having more than one drink in case peacefully sleeping children suddenly develop an illness that will require instant, complicated decisions, perhaps a trip to A&E and possible social services involvement if alcohol is smelt on a parent’s breath?

I know it's hard to believe, but some people just don't drink. Or don't drink at home.

I would think I have less than 10 drinks a year

Having said that, i do agree with this 'over zealous social worker. No thanks. Once you’ve got those fuckers involved your life is never the same. You take whatever risks you like with your own family' . I've had some friends end up in that sort of situation. Never drink related though.

Zero.

I once did a project with an entire school year group of 10 year olds on government and politics. I asked them to design a "Bill" for what law they would personally want to introduce. The one that most of them independently came up with was "I'd make it illegal for parents to drink alcohol or take drugs around children". It led to a wider debate, is one drink ok? Why would this be a good idea?

They were almost all in agreement that they didn't think it was right for parents to drink alcohol around them and that it made them feel uncomfortable, sad, unsafe, like they had to be in charge of younger siblings etc. It had a profound impact on them. I'll never forget it.

I have been drunk socially on many occasions as have many of my friends whilst in charge of children sleeping in their beds. As I imagine have many many people on this site.

Lots of people don't have cars and would get a cab if needed. Obviously if you live rurally you would have different considerations.

This will bring out the 'I drink a thimble every two years' brigade.

Preposterous.

^opinion.

Blimey... I’m a single parent and don’t think twice about having a couple of glasses of wine when the DC are in bed on the weekend. In fact tonight I had a G&T on the sofa while watching the Greatest Dancer with them! Of course I’d never drive, if there was some kind of emergency I would call an ambulance or a taxi. And I’d never be legless (but then I never would anyway).

If one of the DC is ill I won’t have a drink so that I can be sure to listen out for them, but I think never having a drink just in case when they are perfectly healthy and asleep in bed is a little excessive.

We like to have one parent 100% sober at all times. If we are the only parent home, then we don’t drink at all.

This will bring out the 'I drink a thimble every two years' brigade.

the word brigade is banned on MN.

I drink about twice/three times a year. I’m not in any brigade

Should add that we live in an area with absolutely no public transport and there are only 2 cabs which have to be pre-booked well in advance. The

I absolutely would never touch a drop. I avoid coffee too in case it gives me too much of a buzz and I lose all ability to function. I don't even drink orange squash in case I go into a frenzy with the artificial sweeteners or my children see me drink it and see it as a gateway to harder stuff.

This idea had never crossed my mind until I read a similar thread on another similarly titled parenting forum.
My DH drinks every night. I only drink at weekends, and then 1, maybe 2 glasses of wine with dinner. About 3 times a year we go out and I might drink more than that. My kids are school age so obviously if one or other needs collecting from somewhere in the car, then I wouldn't have a drink....but I have never refrained from drinking in case there might be an emergency.

labelle