Should I let DD drink at Christmas

[motherofteen2]

I know Christmas is a while away but can I let my DD drink at Christmas. Not vodka (not until she's a lot older won't make her wait until 18 but defiantly not now but I mean like a Alcopop or light beer after a large meal on Christmas Eve (we always eat too much from the local Chinese). She's gonna be 15 in late February. Not sure yet wanted to get a tone of opinions this is just one of my many sources. I'd rather she drinks at home with me less than 2 feet away than on a street corner chugging cheap spirits

I started drinking at 13/14: just half a lager. I’m now mid-30s and barely have a drink from one month to the next. I never went out and ended up in a gutter or covered in vomit and never woke up not knowing what happened the night before: that’s not to say I didn’t get drunk in my teens and 20s, I had some VERY good/late nights, but always safely.

I owe my sensible attitude to alcohol to starting early and it not being something to rebel about or anything special. It was (and is) a small part of life, not something that dominates my life :)

We have alcoholics in the family and I think my parents were eager to normalise alcohol without glamourising it .

I was 14 when I was allowed an alcopop at home as part of a family Christmas party. I personally don't see anything wrong with it and it did me no harm. The opposite I think as I was never a drunken wild child when I went out and I have a healthy relationship with alcohol as an adult.

I started letting my teens have a drink, wine, beer, cider, alcohopop at special occassions. Just one or two.

I agree with the above that I never had a restriction to alcohol and I barely drink.

I was probably 13/14 when I started being allowed a wine and soda at special occasions working up to a small glass of wine sometimes at Sunday lunch. It gave me a very sensible attitude to alcohol and made me feel I was being treated as an adult.
I’d personally probably steer clear of the alcopops as they are just sweet fizzy drinks that will give the effect of having had alcohol. I’d offer the joining the adults line, in having what they have - wine or beer, maybe with soda or lemonade if she’d like it a bit sweeter or weaker.

No I wouldn't. I don't think you need it in your life.

My oldest 2 have a drink with us here and there, we're not big drinkers anyway by would rather it wasn't a taboo thing. Much rather they had a drink at home than got drunk in a field somewhere (which of course I never did as a teen 😉)

Personally I would, my parents let me try wine and have a drink in my early teens and agree with a previous poster than it made me not that bothered about drinking later in life. Also now in my 30s and not really bothered about having even a glass of wine.
My husband is French as they let their children have watered down wine from a very young age. You can definately see the difference in French teenagers to British as wine/alcohol is seen as part of a meal and not to go out binge drinking if that makes sense.

I think this is the perfect age to let teens try a small amount of alcohol if they want to. And at Christmas she will know it's a special occasion and not a regular thing.
I remember being that age and even the strictest of my friends parents allowed them half a lager or a small glass of wine at Christmas.

I’d personally probably steer clear of the alcopops as they are just sweet fizzy drinks that will give the effect of having had alcohol. I’d offer the joining the adults line, in having what they have - wine or beer, maybe with soda or lemonade if she’d like it a bit sweeter or weaker

I agree with this, and think it’s a good way to develop a sensible attitude towards alcohol. I was allowed (weak) wine spritzers and shandy on special occasions/special meals from about 13 onwards, and as I got older i was allowed vodka or rum with coke and ginger (and I still enjoy that now!) and I’ve always had a sensible attitude towards booze.

At 14 I was (on selected occasions) allowed to drink until I felt sick because my Dad wanted me to learn what it felt like and know my limits. He didn’t want me going out drinking on my own and not knowing when to stop. I learned very quickly that puking and hangovers are not fun, and before I ever set foot in a pub on my own I knew how many units made me feel happy/drunk/sick.

I would probably buy a couple of light alcohol drinks in but only give if she asks. I'd also probably let her have a glass of wine with Xmas lunch

I would, but just wine or beer. I think alcopops are very dangerous for teens who are just learning about alcohol and it’s dangers/effects/strength. It tastes too easy to drink and they can easily knock a few back and be blind drunk and find themselves in dangerous situations. Sticking to traditional “plain” alcohol is a much better idea.

No. My husbands family did this. He ended up an alcoholic so it doesn't always work the way others are saying by promoting sensible drinking.

I do, but a decent glass of champagne, not a shitty alcopop. If they want something that tastes like fermented Fanta, give them a Fanta.

Tbh they never wanted to drink and aren't big drinkers now. I think there's a load of guff talked about letting them drink at home.

My eldest is the same age and I won't be offering him any. I don't see the point, or what can be gained? Having the odd respectable glass of wine with my parents certainly didn't stop me turning into a hopeless pisshead when out with my mates at that age!

Yes to wine or beer but I'd also steer clear of alcopops for the reasons given above.

A small glass of wine with a meal if she wants it.

The difference between wine and an alcopop is that one is pretending to be something it isn't. Alcohol, produced, targetted and advertised at teenagers, morally reprehensible.

I was always allowed to have a drink or 2 on special occasions when with family from about 14, the thought makes my toes curl a bit but thinking back I never felt the need to rebel and binge drink in the streets like some of my friends and I'm 31 now and haven't touched a drink for over 11 years!

My dad would often open a bottle of wine at Sunday lunch, and anyone who wanted to try a taste was allowed to. First time I tried a sip I really didn't like it; I was in my mid to late teens before I began to develop a taste for it. (He knew a bit about wine and wanted us to share his interest.)

I'd agree with pp, just offer her whatever the adults are having. Don't go out of your way to make it more palatable for her.

Even in my student days I never got steaming drunk, just mildly tipsy at times. Now I'm allegedly an adult, I usually just drink wine with a meal when out with friends.

My Dd will have a small bucks fizz when we are celebrating something, so definitely on Christmas Day (she's 13)

As I always say, I drank young and I never drink now but my brother drank young and is now an alcoholic. Moral of the story is, it will cause no harm and if your child is going to have a problem then they will have one regardless of whether or not they are allowed to drink

I would definitely allow them an alcopop at 15. In fact I think I had one at the millennium party and I was just 10! I have never been a big drinker and nowadays choose not to.

Don’t buy alcopops.They are horrid things.

Has she expressed an interest in drinking or is it something you feel that she’s ‘at that age’?

Sounds fine to me. I think if you are going to become an alcoholic it is probably already in your personality, rather than if your mum and dad did or didn't give you a glass of wine with your Christmas dinner.