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.”

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?

> Please comment