How often do your older teens drink?

[wellthisishard]

At 18?

In general, and just now over the festive period?

Mines 19 and doesn’t drink or very rarely, I think he had a few about 3 weeks ago

They've all been quite different.
dc1 is a person who is more likely to go for a drink after a meeting, or after football training or whatever - have one or two (if not driving) and that will be relatively regular.
dc2 much less. Passed driving test at 17 and loves driving so didn't drink that often but then might go for quite a lot of drink in one evening that was "the night"
dc3 got scuppered by COVID at 18 so very little that year, or the next. Now at 20, does drink quite a bit more than either of the other two probably did. Seems to want to 'make up' for the lost years.

DS 19 (just) drinks every other Friday with uni friends. Had one g&t with us over Christmas and wasn’t keen, offered champagne and wine but hates it. Tends to have rum & coke when he does drink.

Mine is drinking far too much, and I hate it. He thinks it's totally normal at his age and I really don't.

I have to hope it's just a phase because he just doesn't listen to me about it, but it seems like now that he's 18, he thinks anything goes.

My 19 year old doesn’t drink at all,and quite a few of his friends don’t either

DS drinks on a Friday & Saturday night. He might have one or two if he goes to a quiz or to play pool in the week.

Mine is home from uni and working flat out so very rarely. Had a couple over Xmas.
Back at uni, a different story.

My 18 year old doesn't really drink, she doesn't like the taste. My 16 year old has already got drunk a couple of times. I'd say once a month or so he has a drink with his friends.

When I was their age I probably got completely plastered every week. Everyone did. I turned out OK, but part of that was luck rather than judgement so I'd not be happy if my kids were doing the same.

How often is yours drinking op?

I am a long way from having older teens but I can almost guarantee it’s a phase. He’s young and dumb and will almost certainly grow out of it.
I used to go out every Friday and Saturday night, add in an occasional ‘thirsty Thursday’ and a pretty-frequent ‘Sunday sesh’ as well and it seemed I had no off switch at your sons age. Believe it or not, I also used to work full time.
By the time I met my husband at 21, I was about done with going out altogether, and I’m a capable functioning member of society today at 28, I promise!

How is he drinking? If it is out with his mates I would not be too concerned, even if it is most nights a week he will grow out of that. If he is drinking on his own, particularly if he is drinking in secret then he has a larger problem,

My 18 year old has been out drinking in town 2 or 3 nights of the holidays, and drunk at home with us for a couple of nights (ie Christmas Eve, Day and Boxing Day).

I think he got quite drunk one night when he was out as his friends were laughing at him "talking shit".

Ds is 18 soon but over Christmas has had one party, where he did drink a fair bit and stayed at friend’s house and just two drinks with us on Christmas Day.

My 18yo DS went out 3 out of 4 nights over a Christmas, drinking heavily. He's out tomorrow, and maybe tonight too.

Usually he goes out every other week, may have a couple of pints if he meets friends for a meal or to watch football.

He doesn't, but lots of his (mainly uni) friends take drugs too.

I have to unclutch my pearls and remember my own colourful youth and hope and pray he comes through it all unscathed and not a raging alcoholic!!

My eldest only drinks at parties or get together so probably a couple of times a month. Never interested in anything we offer at home.

Middle one would drink more given the chance but generally also only at a party. Will happily have a beer at home when permitted (still under age at present).

Youngest is still too young really, although would happily have anything sweet like alcopops if provided (but it’s not).

Mine don't drink a lot at all now but have had experimental moments where they've drunk way too much.
Unlike me in my teens. I got shitfaced as often as possible- but I barely drink now.
Mine get really quite pissed off with having to babysit friends who get puking drunk at every opportunity, so there are plenty of older teens about still who drink to excess.

19yo DS2 had a couple of glasses of cider with Christmas dinner. That's all he's had since September and fresher's week. DS1 has less than that, his GF lives in the next town and he's always driving ready.

Young people just don't seem to drink the way we did/do

Both have had one experience of drinking far too much and seem to have learned their lesson, again, unlike us. I actually think DS1 is lucky to be alive after what he did

Never. Not even a taste

17 year old, not a drop and not likely to change in a couple of months when he turns 18. He has absolutely no interest in alcohol at all and won’t even taste it. Think he’s seen way too many drunk people. My early to mid 20s kids drink more than I’d like them to.

My 19 year old certainly seems to drink more now he's at Uni (first year), although it's more frequency than quantity if that makes sense.

Prior to Uni he didn't drink much at all, mainly due to usually having to drive to nights out - friends all live scattered over the county- and he was happy to be designated driver.

Recently we have surveyed the students at three high schools and their parents separately on various topics including alcohol, drugs and vaping. There was a massive difference between what the students reported drinking and what the parents thought they were drinking.

For the majority heavy drinking is a phase.

Mine don’t really drink. At Christmas, one had a small glass of Prosecco and the other had an alcohol-free beer. That’s it. They probably drank more when they were mid-late teens, teenage parties, unbeknownst to me, but now don’t drink.

Generally now his friends are mostly 18 ds goes out 3-4 times a month, but he doesn't seem to over do it. He has been out with friends a couple of times over Christmas, but again seems to be drinking fairly responsibly.

He has upped his evening PT working over Christmas to get some money before uni restarts and when off likes to be able to drive to get around places (late night food, see/pickup girlfriend, go to gym with friends at 10pm at night etc) as public transport isn't great here.