Parenthood: my husband wants to introduce our teenager to alcohol

Parents may disagree on how to raise a child, and some parents currently disagree on the idea of ​​introducing their teenage son to alcohol.

A mother said Parenthood on Moncrieff her son is about to turn 16 and her husband wants to mark the occasion with alcohol.

“He believes this is the right time to develop a responsible approach to alcohol consumption,” she said.

“I'm a teetotaler and I'm worried this might encourage him to drink.

“It is now a source of conflict within the household and both against me. What is the best way to approach the introduction – or not – of alcohol?

Child psychotherapist Joanna Fortune said it was essential to get parents “on the same page”, especially when it comes to alcohol.

“One of you says this will manage risk, the other says it will encourage risk – and you are both right,” she said.

“Research varies widely on this subject, but in general there is insufficient evidence that introducing children to alcohol at home with their parents deters them from drinking excessively.

“It's one of those beliefs that says, 'Oh, in France they give wine to children from a very young age, and they don't drink excessively' – that's not true.

“A lot of these beliefs are based on false information or just something that has been accepted as fact when that simply isn’t the case.”

Serving alcohol to a teenager

It is legal to serve alcohol to a teenager under the age of 18, once they are in a private home and have parental consent.

Joanna, however, parents should do more research on the effects of drinking alcohol from a young age.

“Their brains are still developing,” she said. “This can cause problems.

“This kind of parallel belief that allowing them to drink alcohol with their parents is a form of harm reduction does not influence [the teenager].

“The way our children behave with us parents is not the same as with their peers.

“Just because they can drink in moderation with Mom or Dad doesn’t mean they will drink in moderation when they are around their peers.”

Joanna also pointed out that the husband specifically wants to introduce his son to wine, perhaps because he thinks it's safer.

She noted that no form of alcohol is better than another or less harmful if not drunk responsibly.

Visit drinkaware.ie for more information.

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