Have We Set Up Henry To Be A Drunkard?

National Geographic weighs in on exposing kids to alcohol...Hint: We are doing it wrong.

Kathy and I are parents to a 10-year-old boy, Henry. He’s a good boy, gets straight A’s, is athletic, a good friend, and very independent. As parents, we like to think that by providing a good amount of freedom, boundaries, and discipline that we can help guide him to becoming a good, successful man.

But it wasn’t until a few days ago that I learned by allowing Henry to see us drink wine, we may be setting him up for a life of substance abuse.

I learned this from National Geographic, that venerable publication where I first learned about the different shapes of boobs.

“Why It’s Not A Good Idea to Give Your Teenager that Sip of Beer” explores the latest research into the best way to manage your child’s early interactions with alcohol. The premise of the article is this:

“There was this long history of people thinking that if you taught your kids how to drink, then they wouldn’t have problems with drinking,” says Lindsay Squeglia, a researcher at Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, South Carolina. “Research over the past couple of decades has really shown that is not true.”

Instead, as research is showing, parents can have a major influence on their teenager’s relationship with alcohol, especially if they model responsible drinking behaviors and establish firm boundaries.

This is not news to Kathy and me. And it’s something we have thought a good deal about since both of us work in the wine industry and have lots of wine in the house.