What age did you have your first taste of Alcohol?

[NotTodaySherry]

I was about 5! My mum let us have babycham on Christmas Eve and very weak "port and lemon" on Christmas Day as kids. I feel now that although this was very much of the era, it was wrong and it is possibly the reason all 4 of my siblings and I have been huge drinkers as adults.

AIBU to refuse to give my DD (15) any alcohol at Christmas. I managed to discourage my parents from trying to give her any all these years but now she is asking me herself to drink the little gin & tonic cans I bought for any visiting friends/family.

We had a bit of a heated discussion since her friends are apparently allowed to have these cans at home but ultimately, she accepted my reasoning - it made me wonder if I am doing the right thing? WHat are other parents doing?

I have friends who say they let their teenagers drink in their own home rather than out on the streets with strangers. I'd rather she waits as long as possible but I'm not a fool, I know it happens.

What age did you first drink? Are you a big drinker now? AIBU?

I nicked sips from all the glasses, no one noticed til I was drunk

Around 18 months. I wouldn't recommend this course of action if you don't want your kids to be big drinkers.

I would definitely allow a 15 year old to drink supervised at home but not gin. I had babycham at Christmas too its very weak and wouldn't have much of an effect on even a child!!
I'd let her have wine or lager, the taste of alcohol isn't masked in those drinks so you can build up an understanding of how much each drink affects you and what you can tolerate.

Started drinking at 5, massive alcohol problems by 15. I drink very infrequently now (I'd say a few times a month).

I'd advocate for letting her try it in a controlled environment. But my parents tried the "European approach" of allowing alcohol and that still ended up with me in the hospital once or twice so I don't think there's a failsafe method. You just need to have conversations about the risks surrounding alcohol use, and who to call if anything goes wrong.

For Xmas though I'd say give her a wee bit of Baileys, maybe? Something small and festive.

My dummy was dipped in Baileys when I was teething. I can't touch the stuff now, it makes me baulk. And I was allowed watered down wine from 5 with a meal at special occasions. I have a surprisingly healthy relationship with alcohol.

Around 4, I was always allowed a sip to taste my parents drinks.
I never once saw them drunk, because they never got drunk.
1 or 2 drinks and that was all they'd ever have.

Sips of wine or beer from very early on. My own small glass when I was 10 or 11? Drank a fair bit (but not more than seemed the norm in my year group at school) in my teens but have never been what I would class as being dangerously drunk. I have only vomited once from dinking and have never blacked out.

Now in my late 20s and rarely drink. When I do it’s no more than two or three. Even pre-children I could go months without having anything.

15, maybe even younnger, is around the age you should be introducing your daughter to alcohol. In a safe place surrounded by family members she trusts. A couple of alcopops over an evening or if she wants to act sophisticated and can stomach the taste (I doubt I could at her age) maybe a single g&t or small glass of wine. Get a feel for the flavour, how it is used in a social environment and of course its effects.

Much better she gets the feel for it now than to get to 18 and not have a clue what's it like and ends up in questionable situations with a bunch of other inexperienced teens

Probably about 6 or 7. My grandmother use to give us sherry with lemonade at Christmas. My 10 year old will try a sip of our drinks, the 14 year isn't interested. Alcohol wasn't a big deal to my parents, they only had drinks occasionally and we were always allowed a little. Consequently it wasn't taboo and I've never been that interested. I've been teetotal for 15 years now.

I’d definitely allow a 15 year old to have a glass at home.

My 11 year old has asked to taste wine or prosecco with Christmas dinner this year. I’m not sure wether to allow that or not... I will maybe try and get them to wait another year or two

12. I'm a dependent drinker, now 7 months into recovery.

I had a Bacardi Breezer with my Christmas dinner aged 11, and it didn't affect me at all. I then started having a couple of Smirnoff Ices with friends aged 14+. I drank regularly throughout my 20s but it's what I'd say is a 'normal' amount, I never had a problem. Now I drink but not loads (but that's mainly because I have babies)

I think if you think your 15 year old has never tasted alcohol in any form at all you are very likely to be wrong.

I see no harm in a 15 year old having the odd weak drink on special occasions (supervised) at home.

I don’t think having a sip of wine at 5 gave anyone a bad relationship with alcohol either- the bigger picture is what’s important. How is alcohol spoken about/enjoyed generally? Surely that’s a bigger indicator of future consumption.

Both the ‘a shot for every year of your age starting at 8’ AND the ‘never let them have so much as a sip’ brigade both do more harm than good imo.

This is from the NHS

Drinking alcohol can damage a child's health, even if they're 15 or older. It can affect the normal development of vital organs and functions, including the brain, liver, bones and hormones.
Beginning to drink before age 14 is associated with increased health risks, including alcohol-related injuries, involvement in violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Drinking at an early age is also associated with risky behaviour, such as violence, having more sexual partners, pregnancy, using drugs, employment problems and drink driving.
Advice for parents:

If children do drink alcohol, they shouldn't do so until they're at least 15 years old.
If 15 to 17 year olds drink alcohol, it should be rarely, and never more than once a week. They should always be supervised by a parent or carer.

I remember getting a tiny glass winewatered down red wine over Christmas when I was probably around 5 or 6. I was allowed a babycham when I was a bit older and was occasionally given a glass of cider once I was a teen. I think my parents aim was to get me used to alcohol so I didn't go crazy one I turned 18. In my case it worked. I haven't really drunk it since I've been legal to (now mid 30s) I think I can count on one hand how many times I've been drunk. I have maybe one or two drinks a year at best. I don't dislike alcohol or have a problem with other people drinking in just not bothered myself.

Mine didn’t drink before they were 18. My 20 year old very rarely has alcohol, older sibling does but not to excess

At 15 i was going out clubbing, havent touched a drop since i was 21 though as thats when i bought my flat and settled into a relationship so didnt do me any harm. Personally id rather she try it at home

Instinctively you'd think that controlled exposure at home is a good thing, but I think the evidence skews against it.

Cant remember my first taste tbh. Maybe 10ish.

8 or below. Shot glass of baileys or snowball. Family got me tispey at 11. At early 40s I only now drink like a normal person. Lost 3 uncles to alcohol in their 60s, 50s, 40s. Youngest was suicide. Spent first decade around grandfathers pub. Alcohol is poison.

Whisky was rubbed on my gums when I was teething as a baby.

We didn't have alcohol in the house my parents did not drink - maybe dm occasionally for special occasions.

My parents always had gatherings and everyone used to get drunk. I asked for some but was never allowed.

About 15 I begged for alcohol at another one of our gatherings and I was allowed as much as I wanted. I was very drunk and then very ill, vowed I'd never drink again. But I did- lots! And back in the day I would binge drink to be drunk, didn't see the point in drinking if it wasn't to get drunk.
But would also go weeks without drinking I'd only drink if out and not driving.

I think to teach a healthy relationship with alcohol and possibly let her have some with a meal or something just because it's Christmas then maybe her birthday so it's a small taste but shows responsibility. I sometimes think the harsher someone is the more the rebellion comes.

However if you're really not sure don't do it. You can't take it back once it's drank!

11 was the first time I got proper drunk

Had swiped plenty of sips and dregs since much younger though

Was teetotal for approx 15 years after major drink problems at 20.

Probably three I think for a "fingertip" of mum or dad's beer. I didn't really like the taste so didn't drink much til I was 14-15.

My brother liked the taste so was allowed a very tonic-y G and T from about the age of 13 on a special occasion. I used to drink a vermouth and lemonade a few times a week at home from 15?

First got properly drunk at a party at around 16. Drank reasonably regularly at home and at parties and the pub through my a levels.

Been through teetotal, close to teetotal and then reasonably regular drinking phases from the age of about 19 rarely exceeding 14 units a week even in the drinking phases.

I have a pretty good relationship with alcohol. It's hard with teenagers because alcohol isn't really good for the developing brain but it's also really important for them to know their limits, and the really bad incidents I've seen have been with people who haven't had booze in a controlled environment. If your first experience with booze is a homemade alcopop made with vodka and whatever was on offer at the supermarket, then you don't know what you're drinking and it's a sure fire way to be unpleasantly ill. Learning about wine Vs beer Vs spirits at home seems like the most sensible way to me.

I was allowed a very weak snowball at Christmas from around 7/8 and a very weak lager shandy at bbq's in the summer from around 11.

I have had a fairly typical drinking career, Pissed on cheap cider as a teen, Drank heavily during my clubbing days.
Now I have children and am in my 40's I don't drink very often and get drunk very rarely (for a Scottish lass) less than five times this past year.

My daughter (11) gets a little sip if she asks to taste a drink I have, She had an extremely weak snowball this evening seeing as it's Christmas.

I think/hope that by seeing us have alcohol as something that is for a celebration/rare occasion it will lead her to treat it the same way when she's older.

@mbosnz

Around 18 months. I wouldn't recommend this course of action if you don't want your kids to be big drinkers.

Same here, tottering over the chairs at a family wedding to finish off the leftover wine apparently, quite off my own bat 😳

Not actually given alcohol until later, 14/15 maybe, at Christmas and special occasions. Drink too much now (by MN standards at least) but that seems to be hereditary...