How to Responsibly Consume Champagne While Parenting

While it may be best to abstain in front of your children, sometimes it is inevitable that you will pour a glass of Champagne while you are around your children. If you are going to drink while parenting anyways, you should be as responsible as possible about doing it.

While social or occasional drinking is rarely a severe problem, binge drinking, or alcoholism can be. If your alcohol use is making it difficult to be a positive role model for your children, then you may want to check out BetterHelp. They have therapists available who can help you reduce stress and alcohol intake.
Before we can look at some ways that you can responsibly drink in front of your children, it is important to look at the ways that it can impact them.

How Are Children Affected by Parents Drinking in Front of Them?
There is one recent study that shows some of the impact of drinking in front of children. There are other studies that show the severely negative impact of alcoholism, but casually drinking a glass of Champagne after dinner can also have an effect.

Of the participants, 29 percent said they had been drunk in front of their children and 51 percent said they had been tipsy. It also highlighted the differences in parenting because 29 percent said it was okay to get drunk in front of children as long as it was only occasional. Others thought it was never acceptable.
The children who had seen their parents drinking had different responses. Many of them, 18 percent, were embarrassed by their parents drinking habits and 11 percent were worried. Some found that their parents argued more after drinking or became unpredictable.

The main thing that this study shows is that children absolutely do notice when you are drinking or if your behavior changes, even if only slightly. Children absorb information like a sponge and model their behaviors after their parents and other role models.

The age of the children likely plays a role as well. Teenagers will know what alcohol is and it should not be hidden from teens because that could foster an environment of distrust and dishonesty. For younger children, it may be best not to partake in front of them at all, but if you do there are at least some ways to do it responsibly.

How to Consume Responsibly with Children
There are several things that you can do in order to properly drink in front of children while still being a positive influence on them as a whole. Let’s look at some tips.

Discuss it with Teens
There is no use hiding your Champagne bottles and drinking habits from teenagers. It is better to discuss the risks and give factual information to them about alcohol. Do not make it all negative. You can even say that some alcoholic beverages can taste good, but make sure that you do not romanticize the drinking.

A lot of parents allow their teenagers to take sips of alcohol. Research shows that this can make children more likely to drink alcohol as teenagers, but that it could make them less likely to binge drink. It is important to note that every child is different and that some may abstain or consume responsibly while others will go overboard.

Be a Good Role Model
This is crucial to drinking responsibly when you are parenting. You do not want to model unhealthy behaviors. A lot of people drink to reduce stress, but you do not want your child thinking that you cannot manage or cope with your stress without picking up the champagne glass.

You should also try to keep drinking low enough so that you do not become intoxicated. Not only can it make it difficult to parent, but it also demonstrates an inability to consume in moderation to the child. Always remember that your kids will learn from everything you say and do. They want to be like you, so you want to model positivity and healthy behaviors for them.

Know Your Child
If you drink and stop engaging with the child, then you are not being involved in their life. They want to be with you, so do not let your drinking get in the way of your relationship with your children.

If you find that your drinking makes it hard to function as a parent, then it is best to abstain unless you get a babysitter. However, if you do drink too much one night, you can use it as a teaching moment. They may be embarrassed, and you can express your shame and regret to show them that drinking too much has negative consequences.

Conclusion
Sometimes it can be hard not to drink in front of your children. After all, parenting can be stressful. While you want to limit your drinking in front of your children, if you are going to drink champagne with them around, it is best to model appropriate behaviors for them. Talk to them if they seem concerned about your drinking and let them know the risks associated with drinking alcohol.

 

Written by: Marie Miguel, she has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.