A large-scale survey of teenagers in an English coastal town found that 70% of young people had been given alcohol by their father or mother. As a result, police in Great Britain have sparked a national debate on parental responsibility.
A large-scale survey of teenagers in an English coastal town found that 70% of young people had been given alcohol by their father or mother. As a result, police in Great Britain have sparked a national debate on parental responsibility.
Dr. Margaret McCann, Castle Craig's founder and medical director, wrote: “Alcohol is anchored in the culture of the United Kingdom. It is common for many people to drink alcohol during a social activity. Mainly at dinner and sometimes at lunch, after work or in the evenings. When we are on vacation or when there is something to celebrate, we drink a little more. And around our twentieth most people have, on average, drunk even more.
A family illness
“But alcohol is also an addictive substance. Inevitably, in some people, social drinking turns into dependence. These individuals need alcohol to function and continue to drink despite the serious problems it causes to their health, their families and relationships. This is what happens when someone becomes addicted: alcohol and sometimes drugs ruin an addict's life and the lives of those around him. It is the addict's family who often suffer the most from the havoc that addiction can wreak. ”
It is partly because of this that addiction is sometimes referred to as “a family disease”, because this is where the effects of addiction are greatest. But there is another reason: research shows that the chance of developing alcoholism is partly determined by genetics. The genetic makeup an individual inherits from his parents explains this pattern. Lifestyle also plays a role.
The role of the parent
What this means for parents, and mothers in particular, is that they play a vital role in their children's education on how to handle alcohol. Encouraging children to drink wine mixed with water at an early age is not a good example of this. There is no evidence that these types of practices help children cope with alcohol properly later in life.
Based on my experience, I would say that parents shouldn't encourage their kids to drink at all. At least not until their late teens. The reason for this is simple: at some point in our lives we have to learn to say “no” to alcohol. This can be at various times: after the second glass at night, during pregnancy or after a number of years of alcohol abuse.
Social pressure
There is a lot of social pressure that encourages us to say “yes” and have a drink. This “yes” is a message that our children will inevitably hear and learn from society when they grow up and move out of home. But saying no to alcohol is a lesson that can only be learned at home. At some point in our lives, we have to learn to say no to alcohol - and the best place to learn that is at home with our parents.
As children grow up in their mid and late teens - the rules can be relaxed, but drinking should only be encouraged at home, within a safe family environment. ”