Moms & Dads

South Florida parents share their stories and advice



<< Previous entry: Dear tooth fairy

>> Next entry: Having "The Talk." Again. And again.

Wine for kids?


I did a double take when, at dinner one night, Alexander pointed to my glass and said, “wine.” Before long, he started pointing and saying, “daddy’s wine.”

Wine.jpg

Well, that’s normal, I told myself. Almost 2, he’s learning to name the world, and this is just another item on the horizon. But somehow I felt caught, as though I shouldn’t be drinking in front of my kids. I imagined a chorus of people out there who would say I am planting a seed that will grow into a problem when he’s a teenager.

Then I read an Associated Press story in the Sun-Sentinel about parents letting their kids (as young as 5) drink small amounts of wine to encourage a taste for fine food and “remove the forbidden fruit appeal.” The story adds that many parents and health officials raise alarms about the practice and point to the effect the alcohol can have on brain development. Parents respond that there are plenty of real threats to worry about, from processed food to toxins on toys, and that the custom is accepted elsewhere, including southern Europe. And they’re talking about wine, not whiskey. The debate goes on.

My boys won’t be sipping wine at the dinner table anytime soon. But they probably will take communion wine at church as kids, and I would consider giving them a glass of wine with a special meal as teenagers (provided it’s allowed by law). But maybe kids who drink at home are more likely to drink elsewhere, which is generally not a good thing for teenagers. So what do you think? Are you passing the cabernet to the kids for a sip, or is it locked away for the next 18 years?


Categories: Holidays (48)


COMMENT BOARD GUIDELINES:

You share in the SunSentinel.com community, so we just ask that you keep things civil. Leave out the personal attacks. Do not use profanity, ethnic or racial slurs, or take shots at anyone's sexual orientation or religion. If you can't be nice, we reserve the right to remove your material and ban users who violate our Terms of Service.


Advertisement
About the authors
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work.
Joy Oglesby has a preschooler...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s.
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters.
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 15, and Lily, 7, and is married to a journalist, Bob Norman. She covers Broward County government, which is filled with almost as much drama as the Norman household. Almost.
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator and the father of a 7-year-old girl, and two boys ages 4 and 3.
Kyara Lomer Camarena has a 2-year-old son, Copelan, and a brand new baby.


Search this blog
Get text alerts on your phone


Send me the following alerts:

STORM - Weather Alerts
NEWS - Breaking News Alerts
LOTTO - Lottery Numbers
SPORTS - Breaking Sports News
BIZ - Business news headlines
ENT - Entertainment news headlines
DEALS - Free offers and money saving deals


You can also sign up for by texting any of the above keywords to 23539. Standard messaging and data rates apply.
E-mail newsletters
Get the news that matters to you delivered to your inbox. Breaking news, hurricane alerts, news from your neighborhood, and more. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. It is fast, easy and free!