Sunday 29 January 2012

Time for wine? Why you should never drink in front of kids...

I don’t drink very much. Ever since I had my children my alcohol tolerance has been at practically zero. And you can’t drink when you’re in charge of little people, not even if they’re being little terrors and you crave a quick hit of hard liquor or gulp of wine to calm your nerves.

No, I don’t drink very much at all.


Alcohol
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But Sophia, my nearly three-year-old little girl, seems to have a different idea. 

This last week has seen my husband, children and I travel from South to North and back again, catching up with family and friends. There wasn't much drinking involved, but there was the odd glass of wine. And those glasses were only (and slowly) drunk once the children were in bed.

Well, kind of.

Sophia proved difficult to get to bed on occasion. She was excited to be visiting her grandparents and other, new surroundings. She didn't want to go to bed without Mummy. 


One night, I couldn't get her into bed until 10pm (thankfully the next night she was exhausted and went to sleep without a fuss!). It was that night that my Mum poured me a glass of wine. So I drank it, slowly. Sophia asked what it was so I told her; "booze".

Sophia thinks booze is funny. It's my own fault, I've brought it on myself. Whenever Dexter's on the move, he always speeds off to the dining room and the first thing he's guaranteed to go for is the wine rack. I say to Sophia, "he's after the booze again!" and she laughs.

So, there I was with my glass of wine. I thought nothing of it. It was the only glass of wine I had on our trip away after all.

When we got home, we had friends over for the evening. My husband opened up a bottle of wine, which they started to drink while I got the children ready for bed. A small glass of wine was poured for me and placed on the coffee table, ready for when the children were in bed. Sophia spotted it and gleefully exclaimed, "it's booze!"

I laughed and thought nothing of it. She was just having a little fun.

The next morning, she awakes as usual and is brought downstairs for breakfast. We're sitting around the table when she chirps loudly, "Mummy's got booze!" and bursts into laughter.

I hadn't. I had a croissant. And a cup of tea. No alcohol in sight.

"Mummy's got booze?" I repeat in mock outrage. "I haven't got any!"

Sophia laughs.

"Mummy's got more booze! Mummy's got more booze!"

I can't wait for her to tell her teachers at Pre-School that one. *Sigh*

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26 comments:

  1. I’ve enjoyed reading your perception on the subject of drinking wine around children.  Unfortunately, I think the media have criminalised the way we perceive drinking alcohol in this country.  Having lived in Italy and spent much time in Europe, wine with a meal is perfectly acceptable and part of a normal family day (but so is all sitting together around a dining table each evening).  Children from a younger age are introduced to the concept of drinking ‘responsibly’ and this is why you see very few pictures of Italian girls or French girls laying on pavements drunk each weekend.  Obviously, I’m not suggesting getting drunk, just a glass with dinner.

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  2. Fwaaahaha! You booze hound - come on she knows it, and now we know it! ;)

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  3. Oh dear I had a glass of wine at Xmas in front o my toddler who referred to it as mummy ls juice. I nearly cried

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  4. Helen from the good life mum29 January 2012 at 11:13

    Haha that's so funny poor you after being so careful, kids pick up on the smallest details don't they.

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  5. Mine make such a fuss if I pick up wine in the supermarket!! It's embarrassing!!

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  6. Theworking Parent29 January 2012 at 12:12

    How come they pick up on these things but the word No they just don't get?

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  7. Middle-Aged Matron29 January 2012 at 13:29

    Just be grateful that you weren't in a restaurant at the time! My daughter told an assembled Sunday school that she's seen me drink so much wine I do funny dances on the table (actually, I only drink small quantities of lager and any funny dances are quite unrelated) and my mother always remembers a toddler-me yelling out of the front door when she went on a rare night out: "Are you going to the pub AGAIN Mummy!'

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  8. Ah kids, got to love them!  I never drink in front of kids either but they know I like ale and mulled wine occasionally.I'm sure the pre-school won't take her seriously if she does blab.

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  9. Mammas got boooooooooze! We'll have to make her a tshirt too!

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  10. My nephew (he's five) likes to tell people at his school that on the weekend he goes to the pub with his mum for a pint.  He doesn't tell them it's a pint of coke (well, more likely a half pint at that!).  As for my son?  He clinks glasses and says cheers with anyone..

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  11. Love it. My kids always offer me wine as a game they play when I give them a bath...its typically wine, diet coke or lemon juice.  Clearly I have very odd drinking habits :-)

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  12. I think it's my own fault for making the word 'booze' seem like something funny. The annoying thing is that my husband had way more to drink but she hasn't picked on him...yet!

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  13. My little girl only understands the meaning of 'no' when she's saying it to me :-/

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  14. I shall wear it to BlogCampUK with pride :-)

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  15. Hahahahaha, priceless! I suppose I should remember it's part of the whole 'circle of life' thing. I definitely must have done it to my parents when I was younger. 

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  16. Hmmm, not sure I could gulg down a glass of lemon juice *purses lips and winces at the thought*. I think the important thing is that you don't drink all three at the same time...

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  17. Little 'uns say the best things don't they?!!

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  18. It amazes me at times how quickly they can pick up on things. And how they remember those things and shout them out at the most inopportune times ;-)

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  19. lol my boys call coke beer, so when the coke adverts come on they think father christmas is a BIG drinker!  Watch out for your next health visitor check up... haha! x

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  20. Very nice!
    Though just you wait until the children are older and you are supervising piano at 9pm. Then you will find that your 'booze' tolerance goes up enormously. I didn't drink at all until son started school and the mountains of homework... 

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  21. That wee lassie is going to get you into trouble one day!! Great post! xxx

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  22. Thanks! I'm thankful she hasn't said anything too embarrassing in public...yet.

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  23. I have to admit to a couple of times where, after a hard day full of tantrums, I've really fancied a strong drink once the kids are in bed. Goodness knows how I'll copy when I've got to help them with fractions, algebra and the like!

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  24. That is so sweet! I remember my one Grandad made up a story once about how Father Christmas got drunk so maybe your boys are onto something!

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  25. Thanks for your comment. I understand where you're coming from. Whenever you see the subject of alcohol consumption in the news, it's almost always accompanied with pictures of drunk, out-of-control young people. I'm hopeful I can introduce the concept of responsible drinking to my children in time, just as long as Sophia stops wanting to shout to all and sundry about how her 'Mummy's got booze!'

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