Do your under age kids drink w/you at home?

[Andrewtherooster]

I grew up in a very religious, Protestant Christian household where consuming alcohol in any form was sinful. My parents still feel this way, and even talking about the existance of alcohol is uncomfortable. I did not have a drop until I was 20 and a friend (who was 19) offered me a beer at his parent's house. His family drank and let him start drinking with them when he was around 16. It was just natural. While many of my friends this age that I knew from church were busy getting dangerously drunk, I was learning how to just have a couple and enjoy my night. To this day I've only been regrettably drunk a handful of times. It's really your intention. I wanted to drink and enjoy good beer from day one.

If I have kids, I fully intend to raise them in an open manner, making sure they are fully aware of the joys, as well as dangers, of alcohol. I see no problem in having a drink with them as they become teenagers, or letting them have a drink at home.

 

[thisgoestoeleven]

I'm only 23, so I'm a bit of a ways away from this being an issue for me personally.

I was raised in a house where alcohol was always around, but consumed in moderation. I can count on 1 hand the times I've seen either of my parents drunk, and I was always allowed to have a glass of wine or beer at a holiday dinner, champagne on new years, etc. Alcohol was never this forbidden taboo, so I never saw the appeal of binge drinking once I got to college. I think being raised that way taught me moderation and demystified alcohol for me.

 

[zacjack]

I always drank with my parents starting around 17. I think it made me a more responsible adult

 

[motobrewer]

I kind of wondered this the other day when I realized that my LHBS didn't card me when buying ingredients. I don't know if they just don't or if they don't have too...

why would they card you for buying grain??

 

[stellaontap]

I drink, sometimes I binge drink.....and have done so for several decades and still pay the mortgage and work. My kids drink and they drank when they were underage (I knew about it because they drank at home) Two kids working and one in university.

we are happy with our decision to allow drinking underage from time to time because I KNOW THEY ARE NOT ON METH!!!

 

[Lunchtime]

why would they card you for buying grain??

They card you around here when you buy cough medicine because people use it to make meth...Same theory lol

 

[Delaney]

I must say absolutely not. The law states the drinking age is 21, so I will not authorize under age drinking.

I understand the argument behind revealing the mystery behind alcohol to kids, and after living in europe for quite a while I see both sides of the coin. However, the law is the, and as one who is tasked with enforcing laws it would show a lack of integrity to allow my children to break laws. If anything they are held to a higher standard.

F@&! the law. Get off your high horse and live a bit, or let your children live a bit for that matter. If the government told you the drinking age was 80, would you stop drinking? If so you are a sheep and a coward! I bet if you permitted it they would likely not drink much at all at your house, but they would feel a heck of a lot more free, and less like they are missing out on something.

Personally, I don't think it's a matter of age WHATSOEVER. It's a question of maturity. And there's no better way to encourage immature and irresponsible drinking than to under-expose your child from the substance and render it taboo. I've seen this first hand. I will teach my children how to enjoy responsible consumption when they start to enjoy the taste...for me, this was around the age of 16. I remember my dad giving me sips of his beer now and then, and seeing him enjoy it with a meal, but I never saw him drunk from it.

 

[shelly_belly]

Only if they help make it!

 

[Delaney]

Only if they help make it!

haha he looks woozy...that or he's licking his lips lol. Looks like good times

 

[mk1Miata]

Enforcing the letter of the law is great for Communist countries. I am always amazed at the authority worship when I travel in the States (which I do often). I am proud to live in the freedom of Canada (overtaxed as we are). My 4 year old Son helps me brew and helps to taste. I hope it prevents him from too much binge drinking when he gets older. He loves my double oatmeal smoked stout, so he does have taste!

 

[Henry22]

Enforcing the letter of the law is great for Communist countries. I am always amazed at the authority worship when I travel in the States (which I do often). I am proud to live in the freedom of Canada (overtaxed as we are). My 4 year old Son helps me brew and helps to taste. I hope it prevents him from too much binge drinking when he gets older. He loves my double oatmeal smoked stout, so he does have taste!

Freedom of canada? Confused by that statement.

 

[Greenbasterd]

I must say absolutely not. The law states the drinking age is 21, so I will not authorize under age drinking.

I understand the argument behind revealing the mystery behind alcohol to kids, and after living in europe for quite a while I see both sides of the coin. However, the law is the, and as one who is tasked with enforcing laws it would show a lack of integrity to allow my children to break laws. If anything they are held to a higher standard.

lol it is illegal to sell alcohole to anybody under 21. its not illegal for them to drink some. were you joking?

i was sippin my dads white russians when i was 5. same with beer or any drink he may have had.

it was fine. did you rubbing brandy on baby's gums helps them with teething?

no offense you might wanna lighten up alil

 

[Frankiesurf]

My cocker spaniel Coco is only 11 but he occasionally has a sip or two beer. But that's it.

 

[mk1Miata]

Every beautiful place I go in the States (and you do have an abundance) is festooned with signage listing what is prohibited. My travels in Canada are list free. 18 is the the age to vote and drink. I've never been asked to prove that I am married to get a hotel room in this country. Don't get me wrong, I love to visit the States, but it could be that much better without the overbearing authority everywhere. Loosen up just a bit and be good parents, good roll models and practice moderation. Most of all, keep brewing, and don't forget what is truly important in the short time we have on this orb.

 

[okcnyyfan]

My parents allowed me sips of beer/wine after I turned 13. When I turned 16 I was allowed to have a beer whenever I wanted as long as I was at home. My father would travel and bring home different beers. We would drink them together after I turned 16. They wanted me to respect alcohol's affect, but not be afraid to have a drink or to abuse it. I will probably do something similar with my daughter. Although I doubt she will want to try beer. She can't stand the smell of it. My state allows underage drinking at home under parent supervision. Some states don't. I would think twice if my state didn't allow it because if my daughter ever mentioned it, the over the top law enforcement in this state would have me arrested by day's end.

 

[scubakevdm]

I must say absolutely not. The law states the drinking age is 21, so I will not authorize under age drinking.

I understand the argument behind revealing the mystery behind alcohol to kids, and after living in europe for quite a while I see both sides of the coin. However, the law is the, and as one who is tasked with enforcing laws it would show a lack of integrity to allow my children to break laws. If anything they are held to a higher standard.

I hope this means that if you see another cop speeding that you'll write him a ticket.

 

[Airborneguy]

Squirrelly disappeared after that rant, so please don't bring it up again. Horrible memory!

 

[DoubleAught]

Pops used to have me go to the fridge and get his beers for him. As young as 5 I remember opening the can (the old pull tab type) and taking the first drink. He'd bitch every time telling me the first drink is the coldest and I took it...lol.

 

[jonmohno]

I remember when i was a kid i tasted my dads caned old style or something i dont know but i always to this day remember the taste of it it was weird but i liked sneaking into my uncles porn stash too.I think i liked the porn mags more.

 

[crushnbugs]

Malfet THANKS for the GREAT link there!!!

A sip here or there will not hurt anyone. My one Daughter loves tasting my different beers. The younger one doesn't like the smell or taste of beer at all.

I have great memories of my Grandfather when I was 10 or so. I would be helping him out in the yard cutting grass or yard work on a hot summer day and fetching him his bottle of beer and opening it for him and taking the first couple sips as I walked over to him. He always got such a kick out of it and now that I have my own kids I understand why…

Thanks Poppy,

 

[bronzdragon]

My daughter is now 12 and has helped me brew since she was about 5, or old enough to stand up on a chair with a mash paddle.

I have taught her about beer and mead over the years and she samples any homebrew that we make or a good example of a beer style when we go out. Does she sit there and drink a glass, no, but she sips a little to taste the flavor.

I don't see a problem with that. She mostly likes Framboise and some of the sweeter beers. My goal over the years was to give her a proper appreciation for brewing, so that when she rollled out of here and into college, she wouldn't be one of those kids you read about in the news that drinks themselves to death.

I grew up in a non-drinking household and everytime I could sneak out and my friends could get some beer, we did.

At this point in her life, I think either 1) she won't be the type to drink a lot or 2) the guy who takes her out will be spending a lot of money on Belgian beers for her.

Either way, it's a win win in my book.

~rc~

 

[rifraf]

My family is from Guatemala, where drinking age was basically dictated by your ability to see over the bar. Growing up, even after we moved to the states, I always saw my parents enjoying drinks responsibly and at parties, and was allowed to try a sip of anything they had. Come late middle school, early high school I was allowed to have a single beer with my dad or a small glass of wine at dinner if I wanted to. When I was older, my parents had no problem with me and friends drinking at our house as long as all keys were turned in before the first drink was opened, even if people weren't planning on drinking. Keys were always on the kitchen table in the morning, usually with a box of doughnuts!

By the time I got to college I feel like I had a healthy understanding and respect for alcohol. Certainly had my share of crazy nights, but also could enjoy a two-beer evening with my friends. I know it's a small sample size, but my friend who only ever saw his dad have two drinks in his entire life is the exact opposite. Went crazy in college and was terrible at regulating his consumption. Only drinks to get drunk, usually blacks out, and has no concept of having a couple drinks.

Both my wife and I have decided that our kids will be taught about alcohol, and be allowed to have a beer or glass of wine with mom and dad when they're old enough. If the day comes where they want to have parties, the same rules that applied to me will apply to them. If they really want to drink, they will; I'd rather know what and where they are drinking than sneak off somewhere unsupervised.

 

[GreenDragon]

There was a good article in the Times a few months back. A group over 100 presidents of pretty well known colleges including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State are pushing to have the drinking age lowered to 18 like it is in most other countries. They realize that the current laws encourage binge drinking.

These aren't your run of the mill average Joe's here. Theses are highly educated people, many with multiple doctorates, claiming the drinking laws need to be changed.

When my son is much older I'll have no issues with letting him taste a beer, hopefully then when he gets to college he won't get plowed and fall off a balcony.

 

[Nightbiker]

Well let me start by saying that my family (parents and their parents, and us boys -we are 3-) were born in the Plant City area of Florida. Now it gets more interesting -we spent 6 years in Seville, Spain while my father went to the University of Seville medical school (long uninteresting story -if you want to know about it, lets talk over a keg of homebrew) and in Spain, at least during the '70s, if you could walk up to the bar and put coin on the counter, you would be served. My father used to send us young boys to the local bar (seems like one was on nearly every other block -a few minutes walk from pretty much anywhere -including our apartment) to purchase a bottle of wine (or harder stuff) and bring it back to him. Now, WE certainly were allowed to have a sip or two when our parents were having a glass -and some of my favorite memories were visits to wineries and sampling the wines. My dad was always of the mind that if we wanted to try an 'adult' drink, we should feel free to do so IN THEIR PRESENCE. NO sneaking around. Consequently, (other than while he was into wine-making, my first brother (I was the eldest) and I used to siphon a little out of the carboy in the utility room) we never really felt the 'urge' to drink beyond a sip here and there. In fact, I recall the first time I actually purchased my OWN beer and had beers with friends, was well into my late twenties (well, after 25, anyway) -we just didn't hang out with the 'drinking crowd'. The freedoms given by our parents (I know they'd have put a stop to it if we had ever tried to go beyond what we did) took all the mystery and 'cool' out of it. It really wasn't a big deal.
My maternal grandfather loved drinking beer -sadly, he loved drinking whatever was cheapest -and to this day, I can still smell the sour smell of old Milwaukee cans he piled up (and I used to crush them and take them to the recycling center about twice a year for extra spending loot) out by the barn. I won't come anywhere near that 'quality' of beer. I DID inherit his love of this hopped elixir -though my tastes are considerably more refined than his (grin) -one other thing I inherited from him (sadly) is gout. Unfortunately, alcohol-wise, beer is the worst drink for gout sufferers -it causes more severe flare-ups than any other alcohol beverage (proteins, I expect) -and its really the only alcohol I really enjoy having (even before I could brew it).
HIS gout became so bad that it disfigured his hands, and he ultimately gave up drinking because of it. Of course, these days we have drugs that help ease the flare-ups, whereas only a few decades ago, they had none. MY flares (when I have them -and thanks to a newer drug, I've gone from multiple flares a month (at worst) to about 2 a year (so far)) can get bad enough that I have to walk with a cane (and wish I didn't have to walk at all), and if they get bad enough, I miss work (which I do NOT like to do). The last flare was so minor, I didn't even need a cane. The new drug doesn't 'cure' the problem, but goes a long way to minimize it.
Sorry for the off-topic ramble. Just go off work this morning, and am enjoying a pint.

 

[MalFet]

I'm home today with my two-year-old brewing a premium bitter. As we were about to dough-in, I told him to go get the ziplock bag of rice hulls from the closet. He came back with the bag of weyermann acidulated. Acidulated?!? With all the crystal and gypsum we'd added?!? We were already pushing the lower limits of mash pH! I'm sorry, but until he can show a little more maturity and responsibility, there's no way I'm letting him drink.

 

[rifraf]

There was a good article in the Times a few months back. A group over 100 presidents of pretty well known colleges including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State are pushing to have the drinking age lowered to 18 like it is in most other countries. They realize that the current laws encourage binge drinking.

These aren't your run of the mill average Joe's here. Theses are highly educated people, many with multiple doctorates, claiming the drinking laws need to be changed.

When my son is much older I'll have no issues with letting him taste a beer, hopefully then when he gets to college he won't get plowed and fall off a balcony.

I believe it's called the Amethyst Initiative. I was at Duke when it was signed and agree with it. At Duke, all the freshman have to live on one campus, which is dry even for RAs. Once you are on the other campus (sophomores and up) you are assumed 21 unless you do something stupid and have a run in with campus police.

 

[Nightbiker]

Mel, I think you may be looking at it in the wrong light. Perhaps your son is trying (instead) to push the boundaries of brewing. Granted, his intent would have probably eaten a hole in the mash tun by the end of the mash, but who hasn't thought about pushing the boundary from time to time? After all, the experimentation in brewing is part of the fun!
Hmm.. The more I think about it, its possible he was trying to tell you that the beer wasn't bitter enough....

 

[Henry22]

Every beautiful place I go in the States (and you do have an abundance) is festooned with signage listing what is prohibited. My travels in Canada are list free. 18 is the the age to vote and drink. I've never been asked to prove that I am married to get a hotel room in this country. Don't get me wrong, I love to visit the States, but it could be that much better without the overbearing authority everywhere. Loosen up just a bit and be good parents, good roll models and practice moderation. Most of all, keep brewing, and don't forget what is truly important in the short time we have on this orb.

While the drinking age of 21 is a little absurd (a lot) the argument regarding proving to be married for a hotel (not all hotels, not even a majority) is pretty poor. Travels in the US are also free. I'm just confused by this statement. You make it seem like the US is some oppressive middle eastern country.

 

[Airborneguy]

If a hotel made that request, it was either in a very seedy neighborhood or the woman exuded 'night walker'. I've stayed in many hotels in our country, with a few different women, and never have been asked that question.

 

[Nightbiker]

Likewise. When I was a long-hauler, I stayed in hotels across the country and was never asked such a question. Makes me wonder what kind of places you were staying in -or what kind of women you were with when getting a hotel. That I'm aware of, there is no law saying you must be married to get a room.