Should Parents Buy Alcohol for Their Teens?
A form of harm minimization or just bad parenting?
We all know teens will drink if they want to drink. Personally, I wasn’t really into drinking as a teen, but most of my friends were. And it surprised me how easily they could procure alcohol. Every weekend — an older relative who would buy for them; a little stolen from parents; a bad fake id that would work at some backwoods liquor store. But I cannot remember as single weekend, as 16–18-year old’s when they did not get the booze they wanted.
So when — about 6 months ago — my 17-year-old daughter asked if she and her friend could have a glass of wine, from an open bottle we had in the fridge, I was inclined to say ok. The way I saw it, she would be able to drink if she wanted, and it was better that she could be open with us about it. So, I said yes. I said that she and her friend could each have one glass of wine. My wife and I were out with friends that night, but when we got home, we saw that she was true to her word and they each had only one glass of wine each.
Subsequent weekends were similar. Not always, but somewhat frequently on the weekend she would ask if she and a friend she had over could have a glass of wine. Similarly, if we were having a nice dinner, we would all have a glass of wine or prosecco together.
