On Oct 16, 3:26 pm, "beachpeach" wrote:
beeswing wrote:
Claire Petersky wrote:

FWIW, I have some friends that take wine glasses when they go trick or
treating with their kids. When the kids say "trick or treat", the parents
hold out their wine glasses. They say they get to really know their
neighbors this way, and they enjoy trick-or-treating much more.

That sounds like fun! I'm not sure I'd have the chutzpah to do it,
though.

beeswing
A huge part of my neighborhood has done that for the 8 years that we
have lived here. In fact, we would fill wine glasses for those who
were running low as we were handing candy to the children. However,
now that the kids are pre teens and teens, it seems inappropriate to do
it. When the kids were younger, they were oblivious to it. Now
they're watching every step we take I think it's best to abstain.
Although it sounds like fun idea, I think it's best to role model
holidays, fun, celebrations, etc. without alcohol.

I feel a little differently about it. I think it can be important to
role model responsible drinking to kids, not necessarily solely
abstinence (although that's fine, too, of course). Alchohol is
something that they are almost certainly going to have to deal with in
their lives. I'd like to demonstrate to my daughter that it can play an
appropriate part in an adult's life without it meaning that one has to
get drunk (or even drink a lot) to have a good time. For example, I've
taken my daughter to a pub with a restaurant license (so kids can come
in) most of her life -- I'll have a single pint and some water with a
meal...though she's seen some people around her that are less moderate.
Or I'll have a glass of wine or two in front of her with dinner at
home. Or my husband and I will bring her along on occasions when we go
wine tasting (no wine for her, though).... She's also been around
drunks on our trips to Mexico (mostly loud Americans), but that wasn't
necessarily through deliberate exposure on my part.

In any case, my daughter on her own has decided she doesn't want to
drink. That may change as she gets older (she's almost 12). But it
wasn't abstinence that got her there. It was watching people drink --
both minimally/moderately to not-so-responsibility -- and deciding that
she doesn't want that in her life.

beeswing