by Carolyn Gwiazdzinski

Created on: July 02, 2009   Last Updated: July 08, 2009

Lowering the legal drinking age in America ~ Absolutely not. I am a mother, with an 18 year old daughter. My daughter has tasted beer and tasted wine and doesn't like the taste of either. However, the taste of beer or wine, is not the point. When we drink, beyond the point of no return; loosing our memory and the events of our night out on the town, we lose important parts of ourselves in the process. Drinking cuts us off and numbs us, of the things needing our attention to detail, and the safety of our lives.

I have listened to some horror stories, of the young ones, that I had worked with. Talking about the great party, that they had gone to, the night before and yet, not remember the events of the night. Or the 360 spin out, that they did on a patch of ice, and by the grace of God, managed to get home, safe and sound and intact from their spin out.

Back in the day, I enjoyed a nice glass of wine or an iced cold beer in the summer. Eventually, I noticed the headaches I would get and decided the trade off wasn't worth it.

We as parents, have to start finding ways to communicate with our kids. We as parents, have to teach our kids, who will soon be adults in the world, how to listen to what is in their hearts and do what is best for them, and not be going along with everyone else or everything else around them. What is the point of spring break and the drinking binges and partying hardy, if at the end of the night, you are going to be sick anyway or loose the memory of your night? The reality is, is it worth it?

I have a niece, who is on meds for depression, will stop her meds to drink, until she doesn't remember anything. I have tried on more than one occasion to explain or share my concerns about this and just get the look, the sneer and the laugh, that stupid Aunt Carolyn, doesn't know what she is talking about.

As a society, we have to wake up. We have to realize that we all have a blueprint of common sense and inner knowing, for each and every individual on this planet. Is drinking, really worth loosing so many important aspects of oneself? Is it worth how crappy we feel in the end?

Lowering the drinking age to 18 ~ this mom here says no way. Let's teach our kids how to be comfortable with themselves first. Let's teach our kids how to be at peace and at home in their bodies. Let's teach them how to take care of themselves and guide them into being safe and comfortable in their homelife, first. And finally, let's teach them to trust and believe in themselves. They are after all the future that is coming for them. Why not give them the best tools possible, so that they can be connected to the deeper meaning of their lives.

By the way, not to be a stick in the mud, even at 21, this drinking age is still too young. Somewhere along the lines, we have to become the voice of reason for our children, who will grow into adults.

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