Kids and alcohol

I didn't start drinking with mates til I was 16 - maybe things have changed but in the early 80s I'd say that was typical - I don't remember anyone drinking at 13 or 14 - in those days people didn't tend to go to a park to drink so if you couldn't get served in pubs (which admittedly was easier back then) you didn't drink or at least not often.   It's different drinking at home - I drank alcohol at home from very young - we'd get given whisky if we had a cold (my mum is scottish!) and on hot days dad would bring a big bottle of cider home for us boys to share.   In fact I've tried offering my kids alcohol and they don't want it or have a tiny sip and go urrrgh unless it's something like advocaat and lemonade at Christmas and that tastes like pop anyway.  

My daughter doesn't want to drink at this party herself - though I expect she might have a bit if others were I don't think she'd have more than a taste.  She's actually quite pissed off her mates are taking alcohol because she thinks it'll spoil it.  It's just I don't know the guy where the party is taking place, I do know the girl has older brothers so for all I know there could be 16-17 year old lads there, just seems to me a bit young to be adding alcohol to that.   

Perhaps the wise thing to do would be to is have a friendly chat with the bloke and find out what his ground rules are and who else is likely to be there - presumably you can get hold of his number?

Your daughter sound pretty sensible but I would always be slightly concerned about the presence of older lads I didn't know - unless everything was being properly supervised.

I did stop my son from going to a party a few weeks ago even though he is 17.............the party was around bonfire night ...and they were going to have fireworks......

now i do not believe that fireworks should be for public sale and think that they should be restricted to official events.........

so the thought of the mixture of teenage boys , alcohol and fireworks.........made me very uneasy..........

so i said no and he accepoted it without a fuss.in the end the party was cancelled for some reason.....

SparklyHope has said it for me; I was brought up on being offered alcohol in moderation and I can take it or leave it. I have done the same with my 4 (youngest 15) and they seem to be able to to do the same. It is great that your daughter can ask and explain the situation. But; not knowing the adult would be a deal breaker for me. I would say no and explain that this is because I do not know the adult involved. Young people need to know about alcohol, it seems to me that the more you try to stop young people the more likely they are to make an un-informed choice to do so. You would be amazed how many people I come across who take drink and drugs with no idea what they do or how much you can take. The result is that they end up in a cell or A&E