Alcohol Concern...

Well it appears the do gooders are coming out of the woodwork yet again. Those would be purveyors of our sense and sensibilities have decreed that we are turning our kids into binge drinkers. Alcohol Concern the National Agency on Alcohol Misuse, have issued a press release which is available from their website.

I take my parenting skills seriously, my two eldest sons (23 and 17 yrs old)will tell anyone who listens, that I allowed them to drink in the home. I took it upon myself to do as many more other right minded parents have done, and teach my kids about alcohol. From about 13 years of age I allowed them the occasional can of lager, usually on a friday night, or if we had guests over the weekend then they would be allowed to join the gathering and have a maximum of two cans. They gained I believe a knowledge of beer, and its effects. I took care to point out the pitfalls, the danger of becoming alcoholics and drink dependant people.

I showed them people who drank, but drank too much and made themselves appear foolish and childish. I showed them others who would become loud and obnoxious, I showed them shy people who blossomed and gained confidence, serious men became funny, all in all it was a learning experience for them, and I hope that they learned from the experience. As neither son has been arrested nor cautioned for drinking offences nor any other offences I believe that my approach worked. Just as it has for other parent like ourselves, who rely on nothing but common sense to bring up our kids.

When questioned by guests as I often was, as to why I was allowing them to drink, I tried to explain that I thought it a good idea, as I wanted them to be aware of drink, of its dangers, I did not want them to hit 15,16 and 17 years of age and have to join their friends in the local park sharing bottles of cheap cider to get an introduction to booze. I did not want them to follow other kids who hit 18 and believed that they had to drink to prove they were men of the world etc etc.

Most of all I wanted them to be able to control their drinking and gain a healthy respect for drink.

Alcohol Concern can as far as I am concerned go and take a running jump, I will not be told how to bring up my children by anyone other than my other half. We decide as a couple what is best for our children. I will decide (with the wifes approval ;-) )what goes on in our house. Not the state nor any agencies of the state. If the powers that be drank less alcohol whilst in the Houses of Parliament maybe the laws and legislation they are passing would actually work, instead of being a booze induced knee jerk reaction.

After all if the government were so good at bringing up children, why do their care homes for children get such lousy press?