Page 16 | How much alcohol for a 15 year old?

Dramatic · 2025-07-31T19:29:17+00:00

If your 15 year old was going to a party (supervised by parents at the house) how much alcohol would you allow them to take with them?

PalePinkPeony · 02/08/2025 18:14

Some of the posts on this thread are absolutely hilarious. It’s so odd how different people seem to operate on completely different cultures and universes within such a small geographical area!

Encrochat · 02/08/2025 18:17

someone always come out wiht the. ' in France ' shit
I can tell you that it falls differently here: kids think ' oh my parents let me so it is ok'

Also France has an increasing problem with alcoholism so go figure

Rewis · 02/08/2025 18:19

Ddakji · 02/08/2025 18:13

My parents did this. Didn’t stop me from drinking to excess a fair amount through to being a heavy drinker in my mid-20s to mid-30s.

The difference being of course that regardless of what British parents do, Britain’s drinking culture isn’t that of France or Spain.

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Went a a wonderful party in Lyon when I was 16. Let's just say the French kids were not enjoying a civilised glass of Bordeaux.

TheFunDog · 02/08/2025 18:21

My son went to a party at 16. Unknown to me he took a litre bottle of vodka from the house thinking it was smirnoff ice like his older sister sometimes drank.
(the vodka had been in house for years brought back from holiday).
We weren't drinkers at all.
Anyway he consumed most of it... Neat...
By the time I was summoned and arrived he was deathly pale and unconscious... One of his mates had done first aid and had put him in the recovery position, as he was vomiting... Probably saved his life.
Ambulance called and he was blue lighted to nearest hospital.
He survived and still doesn't drink many years later!

What I discovered was he nor his mates understood the alcohol proofs system.
So he assumed a pint of neat vodka was the same as a pint of beer...

So at least teach them the basics....
I wish you all luck with your teenagers.
They're a tricky breed! 😂 😂

Rewis · 02/08/2025 18:23

Wasn't there a study that showed parents giving alcohol to minors increased adolecent alcohol use and increased alcohol related problems?

Miyagi99 · 02/08/2025 18:25

4 stubbies.

currentlybrunette · 02/08/2025 18:26

Four cans of lager or cider or four of those little 5% cocktails you can pick up in Tesco. That’s obviously assuming they won’t have access to a lot more so they don’t get horrendously drunk.

Encrochat · 02/08/2025 18:26

Rewis · 02/08/2025 18:19

Went a a wonderful party in Lyon when I was 16. Let's just say the French kids were not enjoying a civilised glass of Bordeaux.

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this made me die dead 😂

Miyagi99 · 02/08/2025 18:29

Riverswims · 01/08/2025 12:55

None
and I’d call social services on the parents

Its legal for children to drink at home in the UK.

dca860 · 02/08/2025 18:30

That depends on what you usually allow them in household, and from that you will have an idea of their tolerance.
Try to get them to take beer, rather than liquor and get a brand that's 4.5% or less alcohol
Full them up with food nervous they go.
A 6 pack of 250ml bottles is ample if they've prrvioydly had alcohol at home

Ilovelurchers · 02/08/2025 18:30

I'm a pretty liberal mom, but also not keen on alcohol (several years sober myself).

I was recently a little shocked when my 13 year old informed me that at a pre-party party she was given prosecco AND vodka, and the hosting mom was aware...

I wouldn't give spirits to my own teenager, let alone someone else's!

In this case, I would try to find out what the deal is with the party, who will be bringing what, what level of supervision is in place, and go from there.

But my general rule (about sex, drink, drugs, smoking, everything) is to be as non judgemental as possible and teach my daughter how to explore these things safely, because repressive parents are never successful in stopping these things, they only ever provoke their teens to try them in less safe ways. I am 100% confident that this is the case.

dca860 · 02/08/2025 18:32

Miyagi99 · 02/08/2025 18:29

Its legal for children to drink at home in the UK.

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You're a very dull parent. They will get alcohol one way or the other, so get with their development rather than fight it and then lose a battle.

Greenalien1 · 02/08/2025 18:32

1 can of something weak. They will only try and get it from somewhere else otherwise.

Original poster

Dramatic · 02/08/2025 18:35

TheFunDog · 02/08/2025 18:21

My son went to a party at 16. Unknown to me he took a litre bottle of vodka from the house thinking it was smirnoff ice like his older sister sometimes drank.
(the vodka had been in house for years brought back from holiday).
We weren't drinkers at all.
Anyway he consumed most of it... Neat...
By the time I was summoned and arrived he was deathly pale and unconscious... One of his mates had done first aid and had put him in the recovery position, as he was vomiting... Probably saved his life.
Ambulance called and he was blue lighted to nearest hospital.
He survived and still doesn't drink many years later!

What I discovered was he nor his mates understood the alcohol proofs system.
So he assumed a pint of neat vodka was the same as a pint of beer...

So at least teach them the basics....
I wish you all luck with your teenagers.
They're a tricky breed! 😂 😂

Wow! I'm surprised he managed to force it down, it must have tasted awful

OP posts:

Jhigs · 02/08/2025 18:36

We are a Muslim family so no alcohol for us

Miyagi99 · 02/08/2025 18:38

Cheswick · 02/08/2025 15:13

May I ask for the source of information please?

I just double checked and according to gov.uk (alcohol young people law) its illegal for under 16 to consume or purchase alcohol. The OP DD is 15, isn't she?

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To purchase, not to consume.

CeeJay26 · 02/08/2025 18:39

Ohdearwhatnow4 · 31/07/2025 20:32

I personally would rather have control and either buy alcohol pops or premixed drinks. But only a couple.

Agreed! We’ve all been teenagers - they get hold of harder stuff if they really want to. A few premixed drinks or low vol pops would be my suggestion.

i suppose it could depend on the child and their friendship group though.

Encrochat · 02/08/2025 18:40

I disagree wth the ' they will get it anyway'
make it HARD for them to do so

Miyagi99 · 02/08/2025 18:41

phoenixrosehere · 02/08/2025 15:43

I remember being 15 and my parents never thought to give me alcohol to take to a party nor did I think to take alcohol to a party myself because there these things called laws and I didn’t want to get arrested if police were called or have been said to have brought alcohol in the first place.

My parents were aware of the possibility of there being alcohol at parties but trusted me to be smart and was told if I needed to leave or get home, to call regardless of the state I was in. Still didn’t take the chance nor was there peer pressure for me to do so.

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It’s always been legal in the UK. In fact the law used to be even laxer in that 14 year olds could purchase alcohol themselves if they were also having a meal (we used to go to Pizza Hut regularly as 15 year olds and have a pint).

Tigergirl80 · 02/08/2025 18:56

Ladamesansmerci · 31/07/2025 23:47

Lol at all the people saying none. Most teens at some point drink underage. It's far better to try and teach a healthy attitude towards alcohol and know it what they're having, than risk them going crazy and getting someone older to buy them a whole bottle of vodka.

I'd personally get them a couple of VKs or two weak ciders 🤷

Idk what childhood y'all were living on this thread, but I vividly remember girls bringing vodka disguised as water on school trips, and people drinking frosty jacks in fields. Teens have been drinking underage since the dawn of time.

There is a difference between encouraging it Vs letting your child and their friend have can of cider whilst supervised in the house.

Edited

VK is disgusting 🤢🤮I can’t drink it. I did used to drink WKD and Smirnoff ice. But found out how much sugar is in 1 bottle.

Isthismykarma · 02/08/2025 18:59

Either a bottle of rose or 4 alcopops.
I was going out in town at 16 with all my mates so find it shocking some people say none at 15

Ineednewcurtainsandblinds · 02/08/2025 19:03

A four pack of weak pre mixed drinks or cider. Big meal before they went.
They are going to try alcohol, banning it makes it all the more enticing. My parents were fairly relaxed about it, therefore it was never a big thing for me. For my friends whose parents were really gung ho “NO” it was a big deal and most of them ended up in a mess at some point.
Same when I went to university. I could take or leave a drink. Those who had parents who had strictly controlled it got shedded all the time.
Did the same for DD and now DGD, had no problems.

Encrochat · 02/08/2025 19:03

a bottle of rose is nore than an ADULT shiould have fgs

Encrochat · 02/08/2025 19:06

these anecdotes miss the facts that
A) they are kids with developing brains
B) booze is sweeter and stronger now than in the past
C0 they are not supervised by adults who can get help
d) You don't know of existing health concerns/addictive nature of other kids who are drinking the ( admittedly lets face it) poison you are giving your kids

CairnTerriersRule · 02/08/2025 19:07

NONE