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+--- Thread: Wine and Children??? (/thread-12395.html)
- IrishMum - 04-22-2001
Does anyone have any information on children and drinking wine? Has anyone here done such with their own little ones? I know that other cultures let their children start to drink (watered down) wine at very young ages, but I am curious as to what affect it might have on them?
Any known reports or statistics on this subject? I wonder if this lessens the chance of adolencent drinking, or even alcoholism?
I have 3 children of my own, and was very curious....
~IrishMum
[This message has been edited by IrishMum (edited 04-22-2001).]
- Bucko - 04-22-2001
I don't have the stats on children, but I read one article stating that Italy has (don't quote the %) 3 or 4 times the per capita intake of alcohol as the USA, yet about one-tenth the alcoholism rate as the USA.
Taking the mystique out of alcohol leads to responsible drinking IMHO. My family gave me small amounts of beer and wine as a child and, well, er, poor example.... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img] Seriously, I support the idea. Alcohol in moderation has only shown positive health effects.
- Innkeeper - 04-22-2001
In our family for several generations the rule has been: Children who have been Confirmed can start having wine at special family occasions, starting with a half glass, and increasing according to parental judgment.
- winecollector - 04-22-2001
I have always had the policy that my kids are welcome to a taste, and so far that has satisfied their curousity. Whenever a friend is over with their children (usually older teens) I always ask the parent first if they are permited to have a taste as well. No complaints yet!
- mrdutton - 04-22-2001
Our family policy was simple, I think.
When the young were old enough to sit at the "adult table", then they were old enough to start drinking the wine with dinner.
This implied, to me, that one must display a certain amount of maturity before one was invited to "join".
Not a lot mind you........ cuz after the wine came the "after dinner drinks". Sometimes that was better!?!
None-the-less, I think that policy helped us understand drinking without having to abuse the consumption thereof. (Not that that ever happened - duh!) But an effort was made to get us off onto a reasonable footing, if not a responsible one.
Introduce your children to alcohol in the privacy of your home when YOU feel they are able to handle the responsibility of their consumption, no matter how meager or how great.
That is my humble opinion.
- Thomas - 04-23-2001
Being of Italian-American stock I can attest to having been fed wine at age 8 (cut with water). It did little to dull my appetite to sow wild oats when younger, but I certainly ain't no alcoholic here in my dotage.
Bucko got the Italian wine/alcohol stats close to correct. An interesting aside to the story: a study done many years ago that tracked Italians who left Italy for the U.S. found that alcoholism rates rose on this side of the water. Curious, no? Perhaps the Italians started to dabble in harder liquor over here.
- winoweenie - 04-23-2001
Or joined WITHSTAND and had to drink twice as much to get the same results. hehehe WW
- chittychattykathy - 04-24-2001
Oh brother!
- Kcwhippet - 04-24-2001
Being of Eastern European extraction, we didn't have much of a wine tradition when I was very young. However, I was given sips of beer with the kielbasa and sauerkraut, and the pirohi starting when I was about three. A few years later on, my father discovered wine and switched from beer. So, we grew up with beer and wine as part of the evening meal, and my sister and I now still continue that regimen. I did the same with my own kids, offering them wine mixed with water when they were younger, then straight wine (in small amounts) when they were about twelve. Of the three (they're in their late twenties/early thirties now), two still have a glass of wine with their dinners and the third has an occasional wine. They do have an appreciation for fine wines, though, since they chipped in and got us the 97 Whitehall Reserve Cab and the 97 Insignia for Christmas. I guess we did something right with them.
- winoweenie - 04-24-2001
KC, I too have tried to expose my 5 kids to wine and with excellent results. All the kids like wine, my grand-kids also have a love of the grape and have started modest cellars. The one thing that's glaringly different, for Christmas my children and grand-kids managed to drink over a case of my Insignias', Volcanic Hills, and whatever else struck their fancy. Must have taken a wrong turn summers'. WW
- cpurvis - 04-24-2001
Wine wasn't part of my Southern upbringin'. However, the parents assured us that they'd prefer us to drink at home than get in trouble with it elsewhere. I always thought that was a wise approach.
My wife's parents came over from Spain, so it was part of her early experience at family dinners.
With our children, we will emphasize 3 points: 1)drinking in moderation is acceptable, 2)drinking excessively is dangerous (& we have relatives to prove that), & 3)the religious beliefs of others re: drinking are to be respected.
We have already let our 3 yr old taste. He refers to reds as "wine" & says "lemme smell it" but won't drink b/c "it's a wittle bit too spicy." WW will appreciate the fact that he refers to whites as "tha's not wine!"
cp
- winoweenie - 04-24-2001
Bless you Baby CP, and when you mature maybe you can steer you POPS to the "real" wine stuff. WW
- cpurvis - 04-24-2001
Mr. Weenie, if "POPS" didn't drink reds 95% of the time, then baby CP never woulda got the notion 'bout "real" wine! cp
- IrishMum - 04-24-2001
Thank you EVERYONE for sharing all of your wonderful experiences with me! It definitely helps to hear what others before me have done.
It is really what I (secretly) wanted to hear, because I would like to start exposing my children to wine. My girls are ages 13, 5 and 3...so yes they are still a bit young, but I would like to at least introduce my oldest IF she is interested. (I have a feeling that the 5 year old will be the one to try first!)
Many thanks!
~IrishMum :-)