Young children imitate adult habits: what parents should remember when drinking alcohol

Should I take my child to a cafe or bistro with me if I plan to drink? And how dangerous is it for them to see adults drinking alcohol?

ABC Every Day writes: "Even if you drink responsibly and don't break the law, but do so in the presence of a child, you should be concerned about how your relationship with alcohol shapes their views on the issue." On the other hand, psychologists explain, whether we like it or not, alcohol is an integral part of our culture and a legal product, and it is unrealistic and not always useful to expect parents to completely protect their children from it.

"If you drink responsibly around your child... you can have a very positive impact on their values and attitudes," says Megan Cook, a researcher at the Center for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University in Melbourne. She also believes that not all alcohol is "bad," but wonders: "Should young children be taught that when they grow up, they should and will drink alcohol?"

And even though the final decision always rests with the parents, knowing what experts in this field say will not be superfluous and will help you better navigate the situation.

Children see how we drink - what science says about it

From an early age, children imitate the behavior of adults in everything, including alcohol consumption.

For example, a study conducted in 2019 showed that if parents drank often, in large quantities, or with meals, their children (aged three to six) knew more about the social norms of drinking this product. For example, that this habit is typical for men, and that they drink most often at parties.

In another scientific experiment conducted in the United States, children aged two to six years old used props and dolls to act out the process of buying food, and almost two-thirds of them ended up buying alcohol.

"Children were more likely to buy beer or wine if their parents drank alcohol at least once a month," the authors write.

At the same time, the researchers argue that although parental alcohol consumption is a key source of children's perception of drinking norms, it should be borne in mind that they learn about any concept or behavior in the same way, and the importance of this fact should not be exaggerated.

Use learning opportunities and have fun without alcohol

Here are some tips from psychologists on how best to explain to your child the role of alcohol in an adult's life

Think about the role alcohol plays in your life

Pay attention to the place of alcohol in your family, how you drink and why. At the same time, keep in mind that doing it to get through hard times is not the best example to follow.

Positive learning opportunities

Take a bottle of wine and explain to your children that you are not drinking to get drunk, that you will drink it with meals, and that you will not drive afterwards.

Go without alcohol sometimes

Alcohol advertising tells us that drinking should be a part of any event - from birthday and wedding celebrations to home dinners and watching sports.

At the same time, according to psychologists, it is important for children to see that it is possible to have fun, cope with stress and negative emotions without alcohol.

Drink responsibly, not secretly

Hiding the fact that you drink alcohol is a bad signal for a child, as is a locked bar with alcohol. And in general, creating the impression that something in the house should be locked is not the best idea for shaping the child's views on life.