[notanumber]

Originally Posted by FloraDanicaHR

Maybe it's just the Okanagan, everyone drinks. From like 12+. Personally I don't. But there is a HUGE thing for bush parties here, lots of drugs (is weed legallized yet?). So much it's smoked at the school.

No one really cares anymore. At least the majority here. Harsh, but true.

This is true. For good or bad, drinking and smoking weed is very open here.

[Cheyenne1193]

I'm a teenager, and I can say I've never had a beer. I am homeschooled for highschool. And have had quite a few oppurtunities. But I think my parents have taught me pretty decently. I imagine if I did drink I'd get the hide ripped off of me. But to be honest that's not what stops me. I just think it's kind of foolish. I have just as much fun as any other teenager without getting drunk. So I just stick to starbucks
But my parents let me have the occasional sip of wine. I don't mind red wine. But I don't think beer would be all that great.

But depending on the parent. Some don't care as long as you give them a call for a ride home, some don't care at all and then some like my parents would probably beat the living tar out of kid
But me and my parents have a really healthy relationship... so the thought of losing their trust would kill me anyway. So all in all it's really not an attraction for me

[shaiarabs]

I'm a mother of a not quite 14 yr old. I have made him aware and made sure he has viewed all stage of alcohol being drunk and what it does to people. I have also educated him as to what the effect on his brain will be if he does not drink responsibly till his brain has finished developing at 19-20 yrs of age.

Research has stated that even a single drink has the potential to effect a fetus and also a growing brain.

just the other day we talked about it again, my friend who is an alcoholic gave her son his first drink at 13... he asked why he couldnt have one too. I explained to him that she gave her son his first drink as it makes her feel better about the amount of alcohol she drinks without control. I told him also that it is law that I do not supply him drink till he is 18 and when he does turn 18 I will happily buy him some as long as he is responsible about it.

as for punishment, the word nana plays out well in our lives lol

each child and situation warranting discipline would be so different and no one thing will work for everyone

[BlingRacer]

just the other day we talked about it again, my friend who is an alcoholic gave her son his first drink at 13... he asked why he couldnt have one too. I explained to him that she gave her son his first drink as it makes her feel better about the amount of alcohol she drinks without control. I told him also that it is law that I do not supply him drink till he is 18 and when he does turn 18 I will happily buy him some as long as he is responsible about it.

In the USA, laws about drinking vary by state. In TX, a parent can legally give alcohol to their minor child.

While in your friends case, giving her kid alcohol may coincide with her own alcohol abuse, this is by far not the only reason parents give their kids alcohol.

My parents are VERY light drinkers. My mom drinks 2-3x a year on holidays, and never more than 2 drinks. Ditto for my dad. And so on the holidays they drank, they gave ME a small amount of drink and it had nothing to do with wanting them to feel better about what they were doing. It was about showing me that A)alcohol is nothing extraordinary and B)it really doesn't even taste good.

[SilentSpring]

I drank underage. (Also, while reading this keep in mind that the drinking age where I live is 18/19.)

My parents allowed me to have alcohol with them while I was underage. They offered me sips of wine when I was very young (10? more of less? I really can't remember!), and sometimes a sip of a daiquiri or something of the sorts. They never gave me much, however... just a sip or two, and I never wanted more anyways.

When I was a bit older (14/15) I would have a bit more with my parents... one drink maybe, and very, very occasionally, at that.

I started "drinking" for real, on my 16th birthday. This was my first time being drunk, and my first time drinking with friends. My friend's parents happened to be out of town on my birthday weekend, and a small group of my friends (6 of us) got together. We drank the most god-awful combination of red wine and Sprite you could imagine, as well as some Bailey's, from her parent's liquor cabinet (we did replace it!). Only 3 of us drank, and only one of my friends was actually drunk with me.

After that, I drank (and was drunk) once more about a month later. I had kept it a secret, and only told my parents after the second time. They weren't upset about it, just as I knew that they wouldn't be. Primarily, I think they just wanted to make sure I was being safe and responsible with drinking, and to let me know I could always call them to pick me to. They trusted me a lot, and still do. I think they knew that I would keep myself out of trouble, even if I was drinking.

Later on while I was still 16 and while I was 17, my parents would drive me to and from parties where they knew I was drinking. They were very cool about it, really... while still keeping me safe and guiding me through it... they didn't just "let me loose". They really did their part to keep me on track as best they could by continually watching out for me and educating me about it.

I think they knew that as a teenager, they were going to have to let me experiment at some point, and that fighting against me would just encourage me to do things (like drinking) unsafely and behind their backs. I appreciate them very much for being open minded, and for always letting me have my freedom.

I would imagine that if I were to have children in the future, I would approach drinking in a very similar way as my parents did with me. I believe they did a good job with it.

[TB4life]

My parents would take extreme measures if I were to drink. Both of them came from acoholic homes, and have seen the horrible aspects of drinking. Needless to say, I have never had any desire to drink. They know they don't need to worry about me getting into that stuff.

[roxyroller91]

My parents never encouraged it, but as I was the youngest of 5 kids they kind of expected it. If I got caught I got punished.

About two years ago I was in a not very good place in my life. I spent an entire summer drinking every Friday and Saturday night. A lot of the time I would finish drinking around 4:00 AM Saturday morning and if I didn't work I would continue on drinking early. My parents knew and they tried so hard, but I rebelled.

Now, I don't drink anymore. Drinking does nothing for me anymore. I'm not excited for the bar because I don't like crowds...and I'm turning 18 in a week! (18 is legal here)

At my lake it is the norm to drink. A typical day is to wake up at around 10 Am, get ready, head out to the water where there are coolers of drinks and snacks. Around one lunch is served on the water and coolers/beer are handed out. Casual drinking while on the water (maybe 1 drink for the whole day) then we head back in around 5 or 6 for supper. After supper I usually play with the kids, then they go to bed and we sit around the fire, with more drinking. It's all family, and no one has to go anywhere ever, all we do is sit around the fire then go to bed.

My parents have also drilled into my head that if I am drinking at a party and need a ride home I am to call them! I have lost 2 friends to drunk driving accidents and will not EVER get into a vehicle with a drunk driver nor will I EVER drive drunk. Ever. I've also had a friend who broke his back and had multiple surgeries because he was with a drunk driver (they were both drunk). I've called my parents before. If they know I'm drinking at a party my mom will text me occassionally and just say "your still ok, having fun?"

It was my friends 17th birthday last January and I walked into my house at around 3:00 AM. I woke my mom up and she was shocked that I was home. I hadn't drank a drop because I had just as much fun hanging out with them and laughing at the drunks than I would have if I was drunk.

It affects lives so much, drinking and driving is one thing, drinking at home or with friends is a totally different thing.

[SweetChilli]

I sometimes have a couple, but i never drink a lot, even if everyone else, i just don't.

But at the same time, i have never ever been drunk and i don't drink a lot at all. I drink a couple of coolers at the most and i don't do shots at all. I am always completely with it and i plan it to stay that way for quite a while.

My parents are pretty strict, i can drink a little at parties, where they know where i am, they are picking me up etc.

If i came home drunk i would be in serious serious trouble, and also i just don't see the point in drinking so much that you have no idea what happened the night before.

[farmeress]

Originally Posted by FloraDanicaHR

Maybe it's just the Okanagan, everyone drinks. From like 12+. Personally I don't. But there is a HUGE thing for bush parties here, lots of drugs (is weed legallized yet?). So much it's smoked at the school.

No one really cares anymore. At least the majority here. Harsh, but true.

Originally Posted by notanumber

This is true. For good or bad, drinking and smoking weed is very open here.

Yaaaa...but you guys have the best weed in the country...and it is legal there to smoke.....still....kids at high school should not smoke it.....they should be giving it to the parents.

I will say...I am against the freedom of the smoke in schools...but..when one looks at the drunk/drug driving records compared to Ontario where we are still legislated....I shake my head....how could we possibly have the worse record

True...we have higher numbers in the population....but we have the very young and old who do not drive....it is one of the things that makes me think when asked if we should legalize weed in Ontario...people think weed replaces the alcohol consumption so less people drink....but...I would really...really have to see the survey numbers on that one

[sorrell]

I drank underaged. My parents were clueless. I never came home drunk or smelling like alcohol. Did come home smelling like cigarettes and always said my friends had been smoking, got lectured, threatened that I could not see them again, and still went out with them.
I don't think punishing kids for drinking or doing drugs really works. I think showing them evidence of what drinking and drugs can do to you can make a difference though. I think I would take my drinker to a court case where kids drank and killed someone while driving, or to a rehab facility, or let them visit with an alcholic and see how pathetic it is to cling to something that causes so much pain and suffering.
I also think that if you are a parent who drinks, you cannot lecture your kids about not drinking.
My parents did not drink and did not keep any kind of alcohol in the house, but my friend's parents did and she was constantly taking a beer when they had a party and watering down the whisky and her parents were clueless too.
If someone is sipping on a high ball and lecturing you about being too young to drink, it is kind of pointless.
As for responsible drinking. I think that is a rarity among teens and have not seen much of it in adults either! I'm always shocked at parents who let their kids drink at home or have parties with alcohol. I can see a sip of champaign or quarter cup of weak wine with a holiday meal or something for older kids, but my nephews were both allowed to drink underage and both binge drank later in life, despite being taught the dangers of it, so... kinda hard to tell what will work.
I think in the end, each person has to decide for themselves, but it can't hurt to show teens the bad side of drinking in hopes they will choose not to drink.