We need to teach children about moderation and responsibility

IT’S almost New Year’s Eve and I wonder how many parents will be offering their children a little sip of an alcoholic drink at midnight as a treat?

Back in my day I was allowed a tiny Babycham or a small sherry.

The sherry would be offered by my nan when she’d been left in charge while my parents went out.

Looking back, I don’t believe it did me any harm and it certainly didn’t give me an unhealthy attitude towards alcohol.

On the contrary, I’ve always thought that it helped me understand that alcohol can be enjoyed in moderation.

But university researchers have now said that’s incorrect, and that by introducing children to alcohol too young parents are storing up problems for the future.

Two universities found that one in six parents gives their children alcohol by the age of 14, when their body and brain are not yet fully developed.

They said the worst culprits are white and well-educated parents who believe they are teaching their children responsible use.

More than half of 14-year-olds surveyed said they’d had more than a few sips of alcohol.

Researchers said there’s little evidence to support the idea that early introduction of alcohol prevents dangerous drinking later on.

In fact, they said it can lead to problems at school, behaviour issues and alcohol problems in adulthood.

I have to say I’m surprised at this.

I’ve always been of the mind that an absolute ban on anything just makes it all the more attractive to children.

Those children who are not allowed chocolate and sweets at home will always scoff ridiculous amounts of them at birthday parties because it’s a novelty and then they’ll throw it all back up.

Giving them some and then saying “that’s enough”, although a terribly hard thing to do, shows them how moderation works and that’s the key to enjoying anything in life. The Hollywood actress Mila Kunis caused a bit of a stir when she revealed that she’s allowed her daughter a sip of wine to mark the Jewish Sabbath every week since she was born. But wine is said to be an integral part of Shabbat, a day of rest and celebration which starts on Friday at sunset, and Mila is obviously keen for her child to grow up with a knowledge and respect for her religion, nothing else.

After all, once you’re confirmed in the Anglican church at around 10 or 11 you’re allowed to sip the wine during communion – and I don’t see people queuing up to hand out leaflets on tackling addiction as you make your way back from the altar.

I know that’s a flippant way of putting it but I really think the boffins may have this one wrong.

Telling children alcohol is a terrible thing that mustn’t be touched until they are 18 just shrouds it in an attractive mystery which their young, curious minds can’t resist.

Experts have long acknowledged that the only way of tackling unplanned teen pregnancies is sex education. They’re even talking about expanding that to include modern issues like sexting.

They don’t advocate telling children it’s wrong and should be avoided at all costs until you’re married because we all know that just doesn’t work.

So why can’t we have a similar attitude to alcohol?

When problems caused by binge drinking were in the headlines constantly about a decade ago, experts struggled to explain why we had such a problem with it in the UK.

One of the most plausible theories was that it’s because it’s a cultural issue.

France, we were told, did not suffer similar alcohol-fuelled violence because wine is a staple at the dinner table and, from a young age, children are allowed a mix of wine and water. Therefore they learn about enjoying it responsibly and in moderation.

Telling kids a drop of alcohol should not pass their lips until they’re in their late teens is just as pointless as Jamie Oliver’s foundation telling schools to ban bake sales because they promote unhealthy eating.

By the way, the researchers who came up with the theory on alcohol also rebuked parents for teaching unhealthy eating habits by having takeaways.

Well if they have them every day of the week then, yes, that is very wrong and would lead to obesity.

But how many people actually do that? Who could afford to live like that?

It’s time for parents to stop being lectured at every turn on every point.

The vast majority of us are sensible enough not to raise fat alcoholics. I may raise a glass this New Year’s Eve – but it won’t be to toast this latest piece of research.