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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

toddler and alchohol

16 replies

takingturns · 11/02/2008 20:40

I recently saw a friend offering his toddler sips from his can of beer. What would you do in this situation?

OP posts:

RachelG · 11/02/2008 20:57

God that's awful. I guess it would depend on how well I knew the person.

I actually think it's a terrible thing to do. Toddler's livers are not at all able to cope with even a tiny amount of alcohol.

I would find it very hard not to say something to be honest, and I'm not someone who likes conflict.

What did you do?

lollipopmother · 11/02/2008 20:57

Well I wouldn't be offering my own child beer that's for sure, but the toddler isn't yours and the parents might get p*ssy if you mention anything. A sip won't hurt him, I expect your friend was just messing about anyway. I'd just leave it, I don't expect for one minute that they're letting their toddler get tanked on strongbow!

FrannyandZooey · 11/02/2008 20:58

It's illegal for a start

lollipopmother · 11/02/2008 20:59

Rachel - women drink when babies are in the womb, I would think this is worse than giving a toddler one sip of beer, but obviously I could be wrong.

TinySocks · 11/02/2008 21:00

I think it is absolutely wrong. Why would you introduce a tiny person to alcohol? The world is going mad!

MrsFogi · 11/02/2008 21:04

Whenever we have a bottle of wine we let dd1 smell it and then wet her lips and then discuss the wine with her - I have never thought it was a problem we hope she will grow up appreciating good wine as an accompaniment to good food and will not go wild with alccohol as a teenager. In a few years we will let her have watered down wine when we drink wine.

RachelG · 11/02/2008 21:06

Lollipop - the difference is that when a baby is in the womb, they are not responsible for metabolising the alcohol. It passes in the mother's bloodstream, through the placenta, into the baby, then out again in the mother's blood. Mother's liver does the detoxifying. Of course it's not brilliant for the baby, but it's nowhere near as bad as giving a small child alcohol directly, to metabolise on its own.

I agree, one sip on one occasion is very unlikely to do any harm. But how would you know if it was just a one-off of a regular thing?

lollipopmother · 11/02/2008 21:11

Well indeed Rachel, which is why I think they shouldn't say anything, it's more than likely a one off, no one would let their toddler get plastered and I just think that poking your nose in to these things when you don't know all the facts can cause more trouble than it's worth, if I saw it regularly happen then I'd wade in for sure, but not on the evidence of a one off.

AdamAnt · 11/02/2008 21:11

I agree with MrsFogi. Our DCs are allowed to stick their fingers in our wine/beer for a taste.

Are you sure it's illegal Franny?

lollipopmother · 11/02/2008 21:15

A lot of parents let their kids have watered down wine or the froth of a beer, I expect it is illegal but you'd hope that it wasn't, just so that parents can take make their own way when it comes to educating their kids about alcohol. I know my parents let me have the odd sip of wine, the fact that I hated it right up until I was 21, and the fact that it never stopped me getting so drunk that a bout of puking in the gutter insued (on countless occasions!!) is by the by!

ChasingSquirrels · 11/02/2008 21:15

illegal

Poohbah · 11/02/2008 21:19

I remember my Dad offering me a suck on his fag when I was a toddler and I am highly anti smoking now so no need to worry.

On the other hand......My toddler has made up a beer song "Beeah Beeah beeah" since daddy let him have a sip out of his stella at christmas! Needless to say all beer is forthwith banned as clearly I have a beer loving toddler and the try it, hate it approach only works with fags!

Desiderata · 11/02/2008 21:22

It's illegal to take cocaine, but people seem to get away with it.

I wouldn't have a problem giving ds a sip of beer if he asked, out of interest. I remember him having a few swigs of cider when he was about eighteen months. He liked it.

So what.

AdamAnt · 11/02/2008 21:23

Well so it is [crim]

In answer to the OP, I still wouldn't challenge them about it as long as it's just one or two small sips. I find it hard to believe that it would do any harm.

RachelG · 11/02/2008 21:25

I think age is significant here. Those of you who were given sips of wine etc, or who give your children sips - how old were you/are they?

There's a big difference between giving a sociable 6 year old a sip of wine at a family gathering, and letting a toddler have a sip.

Lollipop, that's why I said my reaction would depend to an extent on how well I knew the person. If I was absolutely 100% certain it was a one-off, I might let it go.

Just my opinion.

ChasingSquirrels · 11/02/2008 21:26

my post was in response to this "is it illegal" questions, rather than a reply to the OP.

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