Cheers!

While I was writing yesterday's post, I was tempted to go on a tangent concerning the bizarre notion in this country that children can never ever ever ever be exposed to alcohol lest they become alcoholics before they are old enough to vote. This anachronistic, Puritanical, head-in-the-sand mentality is just rubbish. Instead of teaching our children that a drink regularly--or on occasion--is just fine, they go absolutely berserk when they are on their own, binge-drinking at parties in high school and college.

Obviously, the prevailing "wisdom" in this country doesn't work. If it's broke, fix it.

Well, my husband and I are trying to fix it, at least in our household. Our children see us drinking wine, beer, and a nice g&t on a fairly regular basis. If they want a sip, they get one. If they want a gulp, they don't. A little is good, a lot is bad, as with anything in life, really. I mean, if you were really looking forward to a nice piece of chocolate torte at the end of a meal, and instead you were given the entire torte, would you eat it all? Of course not! Same with drinking. The idea of diminishing returns is alive and well.

Will exposing our children to alcohol stop them from going overboard as teens? I have no idea. But because it's not verboten, then what's the fun? If they can get it at home, why go out of their way to get it elsewhere?

Only time will tell....