college kids and alcohol
(cross posted at Midcentury Modern Moms)
Jen said something to Drew the other day about how her housemates are all turning 21 in the next weeks and months, and how they're going to be able to legally buy beer for their house parties.
And Drew told her "You're 20 years old, you're not allowed to drink."
There's a huge difference between underage drinking at 14 and underage drinking at 20.
The reality is, she's been going to college parties since...well, since she started college. I remember her telling me about one party, when she was a freshman, where she got doused with beer because "some guy at the party was drunk and rowdy but the people whose house it was couldn't throw him out..."
She's 20 years old, in most countries around the world she could go into a bar or liquor store and make a purchase without having to bring fake ID.
When I was her age, I could legally buy alcoholic beverages in the State of New York.
I think I'm more concerned with whether she's being sensible about drinking....as in, "don't drink to excess", as in, "don't drink and drive", as in, "take the keys away from a friend who's been drinking" and "don't let the party get out of control." You know, all the "drink responsibly" messages....
I'm not there to see what she does. She's got a good head on her shoulders. All I can do is to hope she uses it.
Jen said something to Drew the other day about how her housemates are all turning 21 in the next weeks and months, and how they're going to be able to legally buy beer for their house parties.
And Drew told her "You're 20 years old, you're not allowed to drink."
There's a huge difference between underage drinking at 14 and underage drinking at 20.
The reality is, she's been going to college parties since...well, since she started college. I remember her telling me about one party, when she was a freshman, where she got doused with beer because "some guy at the party was drunk and rowdy but the people whose house it was couldn't throw him out..."
She's 20 years old, in most countries around the world she could go into a bar or liquor store and make a purchase without having to bring fake ID.
When I was her age, I could legally buy alcoholic beverages in the State of New York.
I think I'm more concerned with whether she's being sensible about drinking....as in, "don't drink to excess", as in, "don't drink and drive", as in, "take the keys away from a friend who's been drinking" and "don't let the party get out of control." You know, all the "drink responsibly" messages....
I'm not there to see what she does. She's got a good head on her shoulders. All I can do is to hope she uses it.
That's one of the hardest things to accept when your kids go away to school, knowing that they have choices to make and hoping they make the right ones.
ReplyDeleteWhen I turned 19, I was still legal in NY-for four months. We were the only group not grandfathered in when the legal drinking age was raised. However, I could go visit friends at college in other states and be legal.
The sad part of it is that these days, they don't just have to worry about being legal, they have to have their eyes on that drink from the moment it's poured and can't leave it somewhere.
She's a smart girl, I'm sure she'll be wise about those decisions.
The holding on to your drink thing...both of my girls have heard me say that over and over and over again.
ReplyDelete