Family friendly question?

[LegginMF12]

Now that there are going to be other kids there I would go, have fun, a few drinks but maintain. Then I would use the idiot who goes overboard on drinking as an example to my kids. "Look kiddies, if you are an adult it is o.k. to have a drink or but you don't want to be like Melton over there now do you? Picture Melton 3 sheets to the wind, stumbling and staggering. Show kiddies how the responsible adults take Melton's car keys away from him. If at all possible show kiddies how sick Melton is in the morning. This worked with my daughter who came with daddy to pick me up from a bridal shower. We indulged in moonshine with the bride to be. Let's just say that stuff kinda sneaks in the back door on ya! The aftermath wasn't pretty either. She told me later she was to scared to drink until she was 19 after seeing that even, though all of her other friend were out drinking at the age of 14 and 15.

 

[coloradochick]

Melton

 

[annie3001]

Quote:
Oh Yes, I will look out for the "melton"

cute story!!

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
a teachable moment, for sure!

I do agree we second guess "exposing" kids to drinking too much... kids know people drink. kids know people get drunk, and they know people drive drunk and kill other people. unless you've been able to keep them wrapped in cotton wool so far, they already know stuff you don't know they know. given that, it's not a bad idea to give them some proper models to follow - to see people drink a little, have fun, not get drunk, and have a chance to talk about it before, and after, well, seems a useful opportunity to have some conversation with the kiddos on the subject. same's true if someone there DOES pull a Melton - if you talk about the posibility before, put it in a proper framework (bad behavior) and then should it occur, discuss it later, it's a chance for them to form some useful ideas about how they want to behave too.

my folks had adults-only parties, we knew they would be drinking and that we weren't going to be drinking, and we were expected to interact politely with adults, bring snacks out, help set up, refresh the bowl of chips (it's part of how we got to stay up a *little* late, so that was cool)... and it really wasn't a big deal. drinking didn't seem exotic and exciting when we were growing up.

and my folks would pour us a tiny bit of watered wine for holiday dinners... usually the sharpest, bitterest, least appealing wine they had

... we used that for holiday toasts. and believe me we did *not* want to actually drink much of it! (nasty stuff, when you're a kid). its what they do in many parts of europe, and I think it takes some of the mystery out of drinking, so it's less appealing as a rebelion thing. anyway, it made another useful opportunity to discuss the whole alcohol thing.

 

[cravenchx]

Quote:
a teachable moment, for sure!

I do agree we second guess "exposing" kids to drinking too much... kids know people drink. kids know people get drunk, and they know people drive drunk and kill other people. unless you've been able to keep them wrapped in cotton wool so far, they already know stuff you don't know they know. given that, it's not a bad idea to give them some proper models to follow - to see people drink a little, have fun, not get drunk, and have a chance to talk about it before, and after, well, seems a useful opportunity to have some conversation with the kiddos on the subject. same's true if someone there DOES pull a Melton - if you talk about the posibility before, put it in a proper framework (bad behavior) and then should it occur, discuss it later, it's a chance for them to form some useful ideas about how they want to behave too.

my folks had adults-only parties, we knew they would be drinking and that we weren't going to be drinking, and we were expected to interact politely with adults, bring snacks out, help set up, refresh the bowl of chips (it's part of how we got to stay up a *little* late, so that was cool)... and it really wasn't a big deal. drinking didn't seem exotic and exciting when we were growing up.

and my folks would pour us a tiny bit of watered wine for holiday dinners... usually the sharpest, bitterest, least appealing wine they had

... we used that for holiday toasts. and believe me we did *not* want to actually drink much of it! (nasty stuff, when you're a kid). its what they do in many parts of europe, and I think it takes some of the mystery out of drinking, so it's less appealing as a rebelion thing. anyway, it made another useful opportunity to discuss the whole alcohol thing.

x's 4

 

[coloradochick]

Very well said Gypsy, very well

 

[Chick15]

If you are going you HAVE to bring your kids, you cannot leave them alone on New Years Eve! And you also cannot on really expect a babysitter to look after your kids on New Years Eve, besides, they probably already have plans. You could talk to your friend, rent a movie, and then they can watch the movie at your friends house. That way, your kids would sorta be out of the way. You never mentioned the age of your kids (I dont think?). This could also impact whether you think you should take them.

 

[cravenchx]

I've NEVER left my children on New Years.
They are gone now, so I'm thinking me and
DH will have a special one!

 

[fuzziebutt]

I can NOT stand to be around a drunk, even if they don't think they are drunk, and I would NEVER subject my children to that. How about celebrating the New Year with the kids, on a date night with them? Let it be their night.

 

[chickened]

I changed a few words, drugs in place of alcohol, does this still sound like something for kids? Not picking on you Gypsy just illustrating my point. Kids do not reason the way adults do, especially kids young enough to need a babysitter.
Quote:
a teachable moment, for sure!

I do agree we second guess "exposing" kids to doing drugs too much... kids know people do drugs. kids know people get wasted, and they know people drive on drugs and kill other people. unless you've been able to keep them wrapped in cotton wool so far, they already know stuff you don't know they know. given that, it's not a bad idea to give them some proper models to follow - to see people do drugs a little, have fun, not get over-dosed, and have a chance to talk about it before, and after, well, seems a useful opportunity to have some conversation with the kiddos on the subject. same's true if someone there DOES pull a Melton - if you talk about the posibility before, put it in a proper framework (bad behavior) and then should it occur, discuss it later, it's a chance for them to form some useful ideas about how they want to behave too.

my folks had adults-only parties, we knew they would be doing drugs and that we weren't going to be doing drugs, and we were expected to interact politely with adults, bring snacks out, help set up, refresh the bowl of chips (it's part of how we got to stay up a *little* late, so that was cool)... and it really wasn't a big deal. doing drugs didn't seem exotic and exciting when we were growing up.

and my folks would smoke some poor weed for holiday dinners... usually the harshest, worst, least appealing pot they had

... we used that for holiday toasts. and believe me we did *not* want to actually smoke much of it! (nasty stuff, when you're a kid). its what they do in many parts of europe, and I think it takes some of the mystery out of doing drugs, so it's less appealing as a rebelion thing. anyway, it made another useful opportunity to discuss the whole drug thing.