Mum Defends Her Decision to Allow Her Children to Drink Alcohol on Special Occasions

Mum Defends Her Decision to Allow Her Children to Drink Alcohol on Special Occasions
A mum in the UK has discussed her reasons for allowing her children to drink alcohol on special occasions, opening up a heated debate among parents as to whether it is right to do so or not.
During an appearance onΒ Good Morning Britain, mum and journalist Shona Sibary argued that she was sensibly introducing her three teenagers to the effects of alcohol in a safe, controlled environment.
βYou wouldnβt get into a car without learning how to drive,β Shona explained.
βWhat Iβm doing for my children is, by giving them small amounts on special occasions, theyβre learning how their bodies react to alcohol with food.
βAnd therefore theyβre in a far better position when they go out with their friends to know what theyβre capable of drinking.β
Sibary βgrew up withβ alcohol throughout her own childhood, and sheβs applied her parentsβ approach to her own four children, the youngest of which is 8-years-old.
βMy father taught me to pour a decent [gin and tonic], and Iβve done the same with my children. My son knows if Iβve had a bad day itβs three fingers, if itβs not such a bad day itβs two,β she laughed.
Shona and her family have experience with the negative side of alcohol addiction, as her mother passed away due to alcoholism two years ago.
βMy children have seen the abuse of alcohol up close and personal, but that hasnβt changed my approach. I was still allowing them to drink even before that happened,” she said.
“Most of us drink to make ourselves feel better in the evening, but people with an alcohol problem drink to stop themselves feeling bad.
“There is a massive difference and my children know that difference.”
While it is illegal for licensed premises to sell alcohol to a minor in Australia, it is not illegal for a minor to consume alcohol in their own home if their parents are monitoring the situation carefully.
According to the NSW Police website, only a parent or guardian (or a person authorised by the parent or guardian) may supply alcohol to a minor at an unlicensed premises, including a family home.
However, the supply must be consistent with the responsible supervision of the minor, ie, the age of the minor, whether the person supplying the alcohol is intoxicated, whether the minor is consuming the liquor with food, whether the minor’s consumption of liquor is being responsibly supervised by the person supplying the liquor, and the quantity of liquor and the period of time over which it is supplied.
The supply of alcohol to a child who is intoxicated is not, in any circumstance, consistent with the responsible supervision of a minor.
In other words, it is completely legal for a child to consume a small serving of alcohol with a meal in New South Wales. This is the case with most states in Australia — as long as the parents are supplying the alcohol and monitoring the situation, it is totally legal for a child to have a glass of wine or a beer with dinner. Or whatever alcoholic drink they’d like.
But should we allow our children to have a drink with their meal? That’s another case entirely, and one we’d love to hear your opinion of! Sound off in the comments!
Is it ever okay to give a teen a drink? You can check your state’s alcohol laws here.
Source: ITV