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Original poster

Buck’s Fizz and children

104 replies

Laura1192 · 04/12/2020 11:28

Can you help me settle a debate. At what age do you or would you let your child have a small glass of Bucks Fizz on Christmas Day?

I’m not a drinker and a glass of Buck’s Fizz on Christmas is the most I have so it seems crazy considering it to me, but my husband recalls drinking it very young.

OP posts:
BunnyMacDougal · 04/12/2020 13:24

Genuine question (and not judging, but curious)-

What’s the point of giving alcohol to a child?

If it’s to make them feel grown-up, surely some lemonade/sparkling water with the OJ would do the job?

HavelockVetinari · 04/12/2020 13:24

I'm properly shocked now - who the fuck gives alcohol to an 8-year-old?!
That is NOT normal in any way.

I suppose once kids hit their early teens they get curious about alcohol, so a very small amount of it very occasionally won't hurt, but the notion of giving primary-aged children alcohol is mind-boggling! Confused

enjoyingscience · 04/12/2020 13:29

I’m going to let DS12 have a snowball this Christmas, but I’ll still water it down with extra lemonade. I used to love a Christmas snowball!

AurorasLighthouse · 04/12/2020 13:30

11 or 12 at the earliest. Although my kids will have to wait until they can buy it themselves because it's a hell no from me!

AurorasLighthouse · 04/12/2020 13:32

Can't you get them so Nosecco or something?

MariaK91 · 04/12/2020 13:38

I would say, no one knows your children better than you do! You're the best person to decide when they're ready :) You can always start small with a sip or something and then monitor how it goes! My little sister got really drunk one Christmas on snowball cocktails (she kept topping herself up, cheeky!). It was hilarious and no harm done really. She must have been maybe 9 or 10.

AuntyPasta · 04/12/2020 13:50

I think 8 is fine. A small glass, half orange juice, isn’t going to do any harm once a year. I wouldn’t do it but I wouldn’t judge anyone for doing it.

Sanitizerscomingtotown · 04/12/2020 13:55

I'd give it to my kids now and I'm 46.

Our have I misunderstood the question?

loutypips · 04/12/2020 13:56

I was always allowed a glass of wine with dinner on special occasions, from about 5. The glass was not much bigger than a thimble though. Certainly smaller than a shot glass.
As a teen I was allowed alcohol whenever I wanted. So it didn't hold any magic or mystery for me and I was probably the only one of my friends not to get pissed. Even now I hardly ever drink - birthday and Xmas is probably the only time I do.

GameSetMatch · 04/12/2020 14:13

I’d allow a seven year old to have a very much watered down version, a tiny teaspoon of champagne topped up with orange and lemonade . A really really weak one.

Hohomerryxmas · 04/12/2020 14:32

I was probably 13 when I had Babysham. My DC have had sips of what I'm drinking but they've never been given a glass just for them. I'll probably wait until they're teenagers

evilharpy · 04/12/2020 14:33

@BunnyMacDougal

Genuine question (and not judging, but curious)-

What’s the point of giving alcohol to a child?

If it’s to make them feel grown-up, surely some lemonade/sparkling water with the OJ would do the job?

My 6 year old wouldn't be remotely interested in the booze, but she would feel very grown up and posh if she was given apple juice or whatever in one of the fancy grown up champagne flutes.
wendz86 · 04/12/2020 14:42

I had a tiny bit of wine mixed with lemonade around 6/7. I'd let my kids have a sip but not any more until a lot older.

FrightClub · 04/12/2020 14:45

I'm glad this thread didn't turn out to be what I thought, with a sinking heart, it might be at first glance.

LittleCabbage · 04/12/2020 14:47

I agree, don’t see the point. OJ and lemonade in a champagne flute - yes. Alcohol - no need.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/12/2020 14:48

@HavelockVetinari

I'm properly shocked now - who the fuck gives alcohol to an 8-year-old?! That is NOT normal in any way.

I suppose once kids hit their early teens they get curious about alcohol, so a very small amount of it very occasionally won't hurt, but the notion of giving primary-aged children alcohol is mind-boggling! Confused

Well given the comments on here, I think Normal is relative. I'm sure it can be twisted into am Class debate but as it isn't a minority vote, it might not reflect too well on the middle classes.

However I suspect if you mentioned this to a professional, it would come out worse for the working class.

So manybe it's impunity that makes it "normal"

orishan · 04/12/2020 14:54

Personally I find this whole notion of children being given any form of alcohol utterly utterly bizarre. It's like having a child a cigarette, what on earth is the benefit of your parents giving it to you? It's not as if a 10 year old desperately needs to feel tipsy to have some fun. V v weird.

Mylittleturkeysandwich · 04/12/2020 14:58

I tried a dip of my dads beer at about 10 but it was horrible, I still don't like it. My mum let me have a drink in the house from about 16/17 I think. I'm not much of a drinker now and DS is still only a baby so I don't know how things will go. Similar to me I think though.

BlueCheckedTeatowel · 04/12/2020 15:09

14

DariaMorgendorffer · 04/12/2020 15:15

13 or 14. I was never given alcohol as a young child, and didn't give my young child alcohol.... not a thing in my house.

Stompythedinosaur · 04/12/2020 15:42

Teens for me at the earliest. I work with teenagers with alcohol problems (among other things) so I know that early drinking is particularly damaging. The evidence does support the idea that drinking at home links to more sensible consumption.

Stompythedinosaur · 04/12/2020 15:42

*does not support

evilharpy · 04/12/2020 16:01

@Stompythedinosaur

Teens for me at the earliest. I work with teenagers with alcohol problems (among other things) so I know that early drinking is particularly damaging. The evidence does support the idea that drinking at home links to more sensible consumption.
Re drinking at home leading to sensible consumption: When I was about 16 my parents took the view that I was probably going to drink anyway and they would rather know about it than not know about it. So the rule was that if I was drinking I had to tell them where I was going and who I was going to be with.

They also allowed friends to come round to ours for a few drinks before going out from about 16 which in hindsight was probably quite smart. They knew who I was with, what we were all drinking, and my mum used to make us all toast which made sure we all had some food in our stomachs before we started drinking.

It was also made very clear that wherever I was and whatever time it was, if I needed a lift home I was to phone my dad and he would come immediately, and many a time he did (in his pyjamas with a cardigan over the top).

The result was that I was completely honest with my parents and they trusted me not to be stupid (and I grew up to be not that much of a drinker). I intend to adopt a similar approach with my daughter when she's older. Although I won't be feeding her bucks fizz when she's 8.

baubling · 04/12/2020 16:04

Had to come over to the thread and find out what was causing all the noise.

It was the rattling of all the pearls being clutched.

ScrapThatThen · 04/12/2020 16:07

I had it at parents parties from about 13. My dc first did at 14 and 16.

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