a cell phone camera is just a silly temptation

[digitS']

I think that standing outside on a loading dock ramp in subzero weather is a great "inducement" to quit smoking.

Being forced out there never happened to me because I quit before the smoke-free laws really happened but I was all in favor when they went into effect. I was always, always, always subjected to 2nd-hand smoke! My non-smoking mother once said that I may have started just as a line of defense.

Childhood alcohol use? I'd make it as difficult as possible. They should be down in the weeds, under a bridge, dirt-caked clothes, unbathed, fighting over a bottle, no decent food or the prospect of sleeping anywhere comfortable . . . You know, practice for how irresponsible behavior might pan out.

Steve

ETA: my cellphone can't take a picture of a final garden bouquet . . . it has lost its memory!

 

[nachoqtpie]

Well, my thinking of this is, that other countries allow much younger children to drink, and when they turn "of age" it's not so much a big deal. I'm by no means saying I'm going to go out and buy them a ton of alcohol every weekend so they can get plastered, but if they would like to have a glass of wine with dinner, I'm okay with that. I feel that if it's not made into such a huge deal, that it won't matter as much. My mom never made it a big deal, and even allowed me to drink, and as a result I never really had a time where I would "drink myself stupid." I can attest to getting a little carried away a time or two, but, never like some of the young people that I hung around with. My mom was SUPER strict with the other 3, and 1 went to rehab for drugs while he was still in HS, and the other failed out of college because she was drinking so much. My other sister partied, and hard, for most of her adult life until she got pregnant with my niece at the age of 30. I, on the other hand, other than smoking, didn't have any vices (other than being self entitled 18 year old... LOL) I got married at 18, and my husband was able to buy me alcohol, but I never really got into drinking. An occasional wine cooler, but nothing serious. My 21st birthday, we went to a bar, I did a few shots, and that was that. No big hoopla that ended with me passed out in the bathroom (I had friends that theirs ended that way.) My thinking is... if you tell a kid you aren't allowed to do something... they're 95% of the time going to do it behind your back, so, by not making a big deal about it... they're not going to make a big deal about it either.

That's just my opinion.

 

[catjac1975]

In Massachusetts there have been many cases of parents getting arrested for that very idea of allowing kids to drink at their home. They take the car keys. Of course the arrest comes after a tragedy. All you can do is hope they don't get into a car drunk, provide a good role model, agree to pick them up and not kill them, never however condone drinking, and pray.

I never liked the idea of allowing kids to drink "in the safety of their own home" but I know many people adhere to this idea. My thinking is that if a kid is going to drink, they're going to drink. May have more to do with temperament, friends, opportunity, and genetic predisposition. Both my boys took up the paternal family tradition of drinking till they were stupid, on a regular basis. Now they are both teetotalers, and live very clean lives. Both owe their sobriety to faith in God, by the way. :happy_flower

 

[thistlebloom]

When I was growing up we rarely had alcohol in the house. I can probably remember less than a handful of times I saw my dad drink a beer. Nobody had to make a big deal about not drinking . It was perfectly normal to me.

In H.S I had friends who were allowed to drink at home, the idea being that they wouldn't need to experiment at parties I suppose.
They laughed about their parents naivety, went to parties and got wild anyway.

Today, my two brothers are probably alcoholics, I'm sure they would deny it, but when they watch the clock until it's "okay" to start drinking, what else would you call it?

I personally have never been remotely interested in drinking.
So was it parental modeling? Lack of peer pressure?
Because I was never invited to those wild parties, and if I had been I doubt I'd have gone. I was happy with my life, I had a lot of animals to take care of when I got home from school, and my older sister and I were good friends and hung out together.

I also had a reason not to develop a taste for rebellion, as my brothers caused plenty of turmoil for my parents, and I didn't want to go to that dark place, where it seemed people caused other people so much unhappiness.

 

[Carol Dee]

thistlebloom, I am in total agreement. I am of that age where we could drink at 18. I knew kids that would leave H.S. during lunch and get drunk! I was never interested. My parents drank plenty. Too much some times. (Usually at family gathering, tounges get less gaurded and feelings hurt). I just never wanted to go there. I do not like the taste of beer (or most any hard liquors) To this day my younger brother drinks too much daily and his liver is showing the effects.
As for smoking, I tried it, tossed the pack before I got it finished. Hate the stuff.
Now if I could kick the CHOCOLATE habit!!!!

 

[thistlebloom]

.
Now if I could kick the CHOCOLATE habit!!!!

But, Carol Dee! Chocolate is good for you!!

 

[catjac1975]

I think peer pressure is HUGE!

 

[journey11]

.
Now if I could kick the CHOCOLATE habit!!!!

But, Carol Dee! Chocolate is good for you!!

Certainly! And if it makes me happy, it's good for everybody in my presence as well.

I had a bit of a rough day today with some attitude from the 5-year-old DD, so while I was in the grocery store, I picked up a Hershey's "Sympathy" bar...at least that's what I call them.

One of the problems with letting kids drink under your supervision is that you will be held legally accountable for anything stupid they do. And since kids are often prone to do stupid things even without alcohol, I wouldn't want to increase the odds.

 

[Nyboy]

Well lets stir the pot, Everbody stated how they feel about alcohol what about marijuana? In London a older couple bought a plant at a flea market. They planted in there yard and it grew well, they kept in trimmed, soon it was a big bush. What the couple didn't know was they where growing pot lol.

 

[catjac1975]

Only 2 members of my family were pot smokers. Bad end for both of them who I loved dearly. Gateway drug for both of them.

Well lets stir the pot, Everbody stated how they feel about alcohol what about marijuana? In London a older couple bought a plant at a flea market. They planted in there yard and it grew well, they kept in trimmed, soon it was a big bush. What the couple didn't know was they where growing pot lol.