To not want my kids to drink mocktails or AF beer?

[Thesenderofthiscard]

On holiday with grp of friends - oldest kids are 13, youngest 8.
the 5 teens have been asking for ‘mocktails’ when we’re out at cafes/ restaurants- Virgin bloody Mary’s, Virgin mojitos - and now the little one want them too.

I’m REALLY uncomfortable with this- Have said no to my teen so now I’m the worst parent in the world. I’m not happy with the normalising of drinking = fun or being ‘grown up’ at this age.
ine of the dad’s told me in need to get real, and for an AF beer for his 13 old son.
I ask him if he’d let his son have a ‘fake’ vale or cigarette and all he’ll broke lose.

oh, and not to mention these drinks are €8/10 a pop as they’re meant for no- drinking adults

YABU - lighten up! Let them feel like grown ups

YANBU - They’re too young to be pretending to drink.

Yabu. It's a soft drink.

Omg its just juice.. seriously lighten up.

Hmm I get what you mean but I've let mine have them on holiday. They love the umbrellas and sparklers or whatever. I never really thought about it 🤔

I probably would draw the line at AF beer though. I doubt they'd even like it!

If it is about finances YANBU

If it is because it is a mocktail then YABU and seriously need to relax

Mocktails are…fruit juice??

I sort of get what you mean. I wish they wouldnt market the drinks in that way because ultimately they are just juices and squashes with water,, which of course you wouldnt object to

The comparison to the fake fags is a good one, I remember those as sweets when I was little and one has to ask why we dont sell those to kids anymore?

The answer is the same as to why we dont give kids fake booze surely?

It's a slippery slope op. One minute they're downing fruit juice, the next they're onto neat squash.

I think you may have a better holiday if you unclench on this one. If anything a Nonna Colada for instance is so sickly, it'd actually you off the real thing.

I'm tee total and drink mocktails on holiday as do my teens. It's not normalising drinking, it's just not drinking for me. My kids probably don't even realise they are meant to be alcoholic. They make great photos on the gram which is what a lot of teens are concerned about.

I thought of get what you mean - just buy them a juice with a lemon cut on the side.

Sort

I agree with you OP - specially the beer, which does just taste like beer so is getting them use to th taste far too young. I don't think many teens go on to drink cocktails till they're much older (and they're too dear!) so I wouldn't be so worried about that. But basically, you can't tell another parent what to do - and he can't tell you - so you need to go down the road of "all families have their own rules" with your dc.

The dad giving the son beer is all - I was on 10 fags a day and drinking a litre of cider every Sat night in the park at his age…
Do I may not like it but perhaps I’ll tell the 10 and 13 year old they can have them if they use their own money… given a glass of wine is €3!!

‘But basically, you can't tell another parent what to do - and he can't tell you - so you need to go down the road of "all families have their own rules" with your dc.’

oh we are anyway. Mostly everything relaxed and all good, but each family has their line in the sand!

It's like when people give toddlers babyccinos, a real slippery slope to them developing a serious caffeine addiction.

Just on money no way would I spent 8 on my kids drink and 3 on mine! Agree somewhat but also they are not alcoholic. Own money is a good idea.

Shit, I've doomed my child

"All hell broke loose"?

For everyone mocking the OP- Isn’t this why candy cigarettes are no longer a thing

We made mocktails at my 6 & 10 year olds birthday parties. They love shaking the juices together, giving the mocktails names and the little umbrellas. You’re being ridiculous.

Babycinos are frothy milk.

I'm quite happy with the mocktails that are umbrellas and stuff with fruit juice, lemonade and fruit.
But I would stear mine away from the dupe for the standard cocktail list with low/no alcohol replacements.

That's ridiculous too. All my friends pretended to smoke those things. None of us smoked. Messing about with a candy stick isn't a gateway to anything

This.

Yes, and mocktails are fruit juice.