Alcohol at Son's 16th Gets 27-Month Sentence

[Westbrook36]

I guess I didn't understand the point of your post. There was no given theme to that google search. Perhaps you could clarify the point you were trying to make and how it relates to this thread.

No worries. They are a series of links that show the effects of not delaying the first drink of an underage person. People can read them and get whatever they want out of it.

People like Art will dismiss the findings because they don't agree with commonly held definitions in the medical community for alcohol abuse and want to justify their behavior.

People like me will see this and think "What am I gaining by giving an underage person alcohol when there are so many studies that show delaying their first drink greatly reduces their risk of alcohol dependence later in life?"

[Butz65]

No worries. They are a series of links that show the effects of not delaying the first drink of an underage person. People can read them and get whatever they want out of it.

People like Art will dismiss the findings because they don't agree with commonly held definitions in the medical community for alcohol abuse and want to justify their behavior.

People like me will see this and think "What am I gaining by giving an underage person alcohol when there are so many studies that show delaying their first drink greatly reduces their risk of alcohol dependence later in life?"

Got it. I agree - no reason to facilitate younger people drinking early. I actually think the parents in my circle of friends were too lenient with us when we were in high school. Not only can ealry drinking lead to a higher level of dependence later in life, teens have enough problems driving while sober, much less while drinking.

[Blondie]

I grew up in a home where my dad had beer.......on a hot day after mowing the pasture.....working cows.......riding horses. He said a cold beer could not be beat.

I never asked to taste......and when I went to college...at age 16....I tried my first beer. It was HORRIBLE. Only in the past few years have I acquired a taste for mixed drinks.

He never said I would be rewarded if I did good with a beer.

Something about the "reward" and alcohol seems wrong to me.

I guess since I am a public school administrator.....and deal with the kids who drink this makes no sense to me.

I hope to have the opportunity to see those of you who have little babies now when they are teens.

[chomerics]

Chomerics, I don't generally have a problem with your last post. Mine was in response to:

That's the point you made that I was arguing against.

No I understand Henry, I was pointing out that SOMETIMES the responsible this IS to allow it under supervision. I should have been more explicit in my reasoning in my first post though

[chomerics]

I'd argue that in most cases, your kids will emulate you, whether you shelter them or not.

If you're the type that likes to drink a lot but you forbid your kids to do it, they'll end up drinking a lot when they're an adult.

If you 're the type that doesn't drink much, your kids may drink when they go to college (like most college students) but they'll eventually out grow it. My kids have never seen me drunk, even tipsy, and they never will. They will never see me have more than one drink at a time. I think that will have the most lasting effect on them. Parents need to lead by example if they want to set certain behaviors.

Dave, I have to disagree with you here. For all of us that went to college, we know a LOT of kids who did not do as you claim. I know first hand people who went to college and went haywire because they came from households where they had rules and regs, or as you say, parents who led by example. Now, without the strict parental figure around 24-7, they imbibed quite a bit more than the rest of us that were exposed to alcohol at an earlier age.

Not having any children (that I know about ) I can honestly say that I would tend to err on the side of strict rather than lenient, but until that point comes along, I will not know exactly how I would act. All I am trying to do is to let people know that this is not as black and white of a case as many here are arguing. There are merits to both sides of the argument, and just because you allow your son/daughter to drink does not make you either a bod or an irresponsible parent, something people are claiming here.

Now, in the case in particular, she was wrong on may accounts, first and foremost deceiving the other kids parents. I also believe the penalty is a joke, and it makes a mockery out of the legal system to think someone is going to jail for 2 years because of it. . .BUT that does not mean that anyone who allows their kid to drink is irresponsible, or a bad parent. The opposite may be true depending on the circumstances.

[terpfan44]

funny the Movie..."Dazed and Confused" satarizes the last day of school for a group of High School kids which includes a keg party..7-11's that routinely sell beer to minors..at least 2 or 3 pounds of dope smoked by the kids that were the underclassmen at the High School

it is only a Movie..but in the screenplay they glorify such behavior..they make no statement that related to this case at all..except one..a kid had planned a Beer-bash at his house and his parents got wise..and stopped it

In this Movie Ben Affleck who was very visable in the last election actually traveling with Kerry plays a minor role..

now this Movie runs almost on a regular basis on Cable..the Movie is very enjoyable and I can't help pointing out it glamorizes the Hedonistic nature with kids letting loose after a rough year..

Why is it..every generation has to come down on the behavior that was the threshold for them when they were kids?...enough of Gov't and behavior change..until Gov't decides to be the one that lives in the Glass House..we are going to read about

situations where people don't think inside the box and pay dearly ..27 months is an outrage..if someone had died that's one thing..but they did not..probation would have sufficed in my opinion