Perceptions - Drinking in front of children

Children like to do what we do and usually we like to see them doing what we do. (When we are doing what we like to see ourselves do.)
Children will imitate many of the things we do and often we are not even aware of the example we are setting for them.
This can be the case with our  drinking habits. Many of use like to enjoy alcohol and drink quite responsibly, some of use may have a problem with drinking and  use alcohol as an important part of our day.
This advice is for those who enjoy a drink and have children with them when they do drink. One important thing to consider is how it looks to your child when you have a drink and what behaviors you display while you are drinking.
This does not mean you have to be a wet blanket and not have fun and certainly does not mean you have to hide to have a drink (This would be worse as the children will become curious and want to try it outside your supervision as this is the behavior you have displayed.)
It is a good idea to explain to your children what alcohol is and how it is different to the drinks that they have. Explain that alcohol is a grown ups drink and tastes yukky for children and may make them feel sick. We have also explained that too much beer or wine can make grownups a bit silly and that we shouldn't drive when we are feeling a bit silly. we make it obvious when we talk about who is driving and use full sentences to explain mummy is driving because daddy drank too many beers and he is too silly to drive.
We also have explained that some adults get grumpy when they have too many alcoholic drinks and that these drinks don't always make you happy. We also put a lot of effort into the goodness of water. This has developed since we had children but now we make it obvious when we drink water and comment how good we feel after drinking it. Our children love water and prefer it over most soft drinks even when there is plentiful supply of other drinks.

So here are a few things to think about when you are drinking in the company of children;

• explain the difference between alcoholic and normal drinks
• explain that alcoholic drinks make you thirsty and you need to have water with them (they are not thirst quenching like water)
• explain when is the right time to drink alcohol and answer any questions your children may have
• don't encourage your children to get alcohol from the fridge for you (make it a bit more deliberate so it is not the same as getting a drink of water)
• don't give alcohol to very young children (funny party trick but a bad example to set)
• don't make alcohol a mystery (be open about it)
• Be aware of your behavior (don't make being too silly a regular habit as it is less fun after a while and sets a bad example for your children to aspire to)
• ensure your children are aware that being drunk is not regular behavior and may happen infrequently

Enjoy having a drink and enjoy your family time in an open and safe atmosphere.