What age did your teen drink at family events?

[Window82]

Eg drinking Prosecco as an arrival drink? Small glass of wine etc

14

18

18

We offered earlier but they weren’t interested

I think 14 is fine to have the occasional one with family

My son was 14 and that was at a wedding
My daughter had a sip of wine at a wedding and hated it
She had her first real drink at 16

We've offered from about 14, but neither of my DC was interested. One started drinking once in a while at about 22. The other is 17 and not interested in alcohol.

I don't want to be a "pusher", so I do observe to them occasionally that research indicates that alcohol isn't beneficial and can have a harmful effect on health, even in small amounts, even for people who don't develop a drinking problem. But their dad and I still choose to drink, as do most people in our circle.

Thank you. My father was an alcoholic so I have a very skewed perception on this and want to plan for teens. My niece had a drink at 14, my 17 year old nephew isn’t interested. So it’s just that really.

I did feel a bit shocked by my 14 year old niece drinking.

16

16 certainly no earlier I would have internally judged 14 studies have shown that encouraging alcohol by parents for younger teens does not “inoculate” them against problem drinking but makes them more likely to be problem drinkers as they absorb the message that parents endorse it.

We let DD have a small glass of champagne at Christmas and new year at 14 but not at other events. She was going on and on about it and actually after being allowed a small glass it seemed to take the mystery out of it

Why the hell would anyone offer a disinterested teen alcohol at 14? That is very weird. What pisses me off is when other parents give alcohol to my own under 16 teens. You’re not a cool parent love you’re breaking the law.

16 for dd. Ds is 21 and isn’t remotely interested as he’d rather be able to drive

DD 14 (15 very soon) has the occasional Buck's Fizz or thimble of wine at home. Generally with food or as part of a celebration.

I don't consider myself to be a cool mum at all and would rather "having a drink with the Old Dears" maybe help take the taboo and mystery out of drinking for her, she sees her dad an I are able to regulate too.

With the exception of toasts at weddings (less than half a normal glass, handful of occasions) then 16 (when legal for wine/beer/cider when with responsible adult and food).

My Dad was an alcoholic as well and I worry about striking the balance. I am teetotal and DH doesn't drink in the house or around me.

We offered 16yo DD a cider at a festival this summer and she drank it slowly, said it was okay and then asked for a cup of tea. She says it doesn't really appeal. DS is only 11 but far more hedonistic than any of us this far. I have no idea how we will navigate it with him.

My DD is 16 in September.

She was allowed one bottle of fruit cider from NYE so when she was just over 15.
Now she is allowed maybe 2 bottles of wkd/ cider or similar.

I will not buy alcohol for anyone else though- and will not buy her alcohol for anywhere other than in our home/ when we are going with her to a friend's.

When I was her age, I used to lie about drinking to my parents, as I knew they would be furious if they found out- I didnt know my limits and men bought me drinks, and I ended up in hospital having my stomach pumped. I would rather foster openness and honesty in her drinking habits. I know this isnt right for everyon though- it depends on the teen.

It’s difficult isn’t it. I wouldn’t say she was disinterested, I walked in later and saw her with it. It was at a celebration at an external venue, I did question whether that was legal! Kids growing up too soon!

DS was 17 and DD 14 when they had alcohol at my brothers wedding overseas. DD didn’t like it so didn’t drink it but DS got a bit drunk. I was fine like that as I was 13 when drinking at family events and I must have had at least 10 Bacardi & coke’s and spent the next day vomiting. My parents should have been watching a bit more and the adults buying me the drinks shouldn’t have!

My 14 year old has a sip of my wine occasionally but I am not comfortable with giving him a glass. I think 15/16.

If it's in a private place like a home, then it's actually not illegal to give children over 5 alcohol - not that that means you should.

But as they get older, 12+ it's not a bad idea to let them get involved, have a small drink at special occasions so that they can see that they're really not missing out on anything, and then won't feel peer pressured to 'drink' elsewhere.

Being given the chance to try alcohol when you're younger., doesn't mean to say you're going to turn into an alcoholic.

According to drink aware it's legal for 5-17 at home.

It's a difficult one. We started out giving the odd glass on the grounds that social drinking at home might protect from binge drinking but then we read that advice has swung against this.

Our 16 year old probably had a glass at 14 but very little between that and coming up to prom. We did get some Prosecco for her to try at home before having it with her friends at pre prom.

However our whole family drinks very little. Your family history is relevant here and if you are not comfortable with it until she's 18, say that and stick to it. What she sees you model around drinking is probably more impactful than whether you give her a small glass of something at 15 or 17.

18

I was probably 14/15 when I was allowed.

my DC's dad died from alcoholic liver disease, so my teens steer clear of drink at the moment although their friends drink