by Ma. Teresa Baniaga

Created on: April 14, 2009

I do not agree that parents or adults should allow children to sip beer when they are drinking. In fact, I am all against exposing little children to vices of any kind because in case you haven't noticed, they are exceptionally quick learners.

When I was a little girl, my father, a chain-smoker, would send me to light his cigarette every time he needed one and I was around (he does not carry a lighter or matches, as he works from home). As I grew older, his cigarettes would get shorter and shorter as they got to him because I would have smoked them first. In fact, he was surprised to notice one time that the cigarette I was about to hand back to him was halfway finished already!

When I got to high school and gained more independence, guess what? I took up smoking. I thought it was cool and was a most natural thing to do when I grew up. It all started with that first stick that my father asked me to light for him.

The same thing with beer or any intoxicating drink for that matter. Children who idolize their parents would want to do exactly what Mom and Dad do. Since they see their parents drinking beer, chances are, they will take the habit on later in life.

Also, if they see the act of drinking on a regular basis, they will think that habitual drinking is acceptable. It's like, they have been wired early on to live the same way.

Again, I speak from experience. When I was younger, my father was the cook in the family and he trained me to do well in the kitchen, for which I am very grateful. However, as he cooked, he would have his wine or beer nearby. He enjoyed cooking and tasting what he was preparing and having a drink at the same time.

Impressionable me followed suit when I got a bit older (pre to teen years). While he was not looking, I would sip from his wine or beer and then we would both be flustered from drinking my father never noticed this at all.

I was not particularly beholden to my father because I knew him to be a hard and unaffectionate person. Yet, I did exactly what I saw him do. How much more influence a loving and affectionate father wield on his child? If he drinks and lets his own child drink from his glass, the child, who presumably idolizes his father, would think that drinking is normal and beneficial. Now, drinking is not bad in itself if done moderately. But who can be sure that little child will grow up having the self control needed to keep alcohol drinking at a healthy level?

Something happened to me in my late teens that made me stop smoking and drinking altogether. I was just lucky, but others are hooked for life. Even now, beer or wine tastes rather pleasant to me. It can be very easy for me to develop the habit because early on, I was conditioned to like the taste of alcoholic beverages.

So, I am not in favor of letting children sip from my beer if I drink at all, that is.

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