Can my 10 yr old have a small glass of wine if I take her to a restaurant?

Question

I want to introduce her to alcohol in a sensible and mature way. Other kids do it in secret and don't really know the consequences of drinking cheap cider and alco-pops. If I educate her then, hopefully she'll realise that it's not such a thrill after all!

Answer 1

At ten, she's too young to have it in a restaurant, even with a meal. Let her have a sip at home once in a while. Then, as she gets older, wine on special occasions, then on weekends. And so on. That's how my parents did it and it's worked out fine.

But take it slowly!

Answer 2

Hmmm I dont know what the laws are in the UK, but the effects of alcohol on a pre-adolescent child are not completely unknown to stunt her emotional development. This is in larger quanities, but I would suggest that if you want to share your love of wine with your daughter, that you limit her intake until she is out of puberty.

Answer 3

No...

Answer 4

As I understand the law you can have a pint of cider or shandy type substance from the age of 16 if your having a meal and with an adult?  I think age 10 in a restaurant would be a bit young (do you live in the UK?) but yeah good plan.

Answer 5

Do it at home

Answer 6

In all honesty it is illegal in a restaurant.  They have laws to follow.  How about introducing it to her at home instead?  That's what my parents did to me at the age of 6.  Booze wasn't such a mysterious and sneaky thing then when I got to be a teen.  Learning to appreciate wine around the safety of family is a LOT better than getting smashed at a party and driving or passing out.  As long as they're tiny glasses, you're doing it the right way!

Answer 7

Strictly speaking her liver is not mature enough to handle alcohol. And legally, I dont think the restaurant manager can knowingly serve her alcohol as he would risk losing his licence.  But I see the point you are trying to make, the same way that the French do, who bring up their kids to respect alcohol by introducing it early so that its no big deal.  I would like to do the same with my kids i.e. if they grow up with it, then it wont be such a  big deal and big dare to try and abuse behind my back. Unfortunately peer pressure and our culture accounts for alot of it.  I wish we were more like the French in that respect.

Answer 8

I think young people have to be 14 to drink in restaurants.  Why not give her a glass of wine if you have one with sunday dinner when you are at home.

Answer 9

That is not legal in the UK. If you want to educate her why not take the stance of a small, half glass at home with Sunday lunch. At 10 she'll probably hate the taste anyway.

Answer 10

from what i know about the law from working in the trade the bar is not allowed to sell to under age kids so this means that as long as you buy it then the police would come to you in the bar i work in we have cctv that is always recording and we sell to over 18s only and can prove it so not breaking the law how the polce can take it i don't know because then you are supplying a minor with alchol wether the fact you being the parents will make any diff is questionable

Answer 11

She must be at least 14 to have alcohol with a meal in a pub or restuarant.

Answer 12

The legal age for a child to drink alchohol in a beer garden in the UK is 8 years old.  ( I am an ex-landlord and know the rules as well as anyone.).

As long as your child does not consume alchohol on the premises you will be fine.

Answer 13

No.  Not without being arrested and charged with child abuse.

Answer 14

i think as a mother this is terrible at ten years old my daughter is 15 and i only just aloud her a glass of wine in doors on birthdays why start your child so young if you can talk to your daughter then tell her that its not good to drink loads ,as for your ten year old drinking  in a pub or restaurant well this is not aloud any were and quite right to .

Answer 15

nope..

Answer 16

There is a vast assortment of answers already given so here goes: The present law is the Licensing Act 2003 which came into effect last year. That new law substantially altered the earlier Licensing Act 1964. Under the OLD law it was possible for a 16 / 17 yr old to themselves buy beer, porter, cider  or perry for consumption with a meal without the need for an adult to be present, it was also legal for an adult to buy any alcohol, inc. spirits in a restaurant, with a meal, for a 5 year old. That has ALL GONE. The present law makes it illegal to directly sell or permit consumption of any alcohol to under 18's - penalty £5000 max, and for under 18's to buy or attempt to buy or consume any alcohol  - penalty £1,000 max. The ONLY limited circumstances now are when an adult ( over 18 ) buys, that is the adult buys, beer, cider or wine to be consumed by a 16 or 17 yr old person AND the 16 or 17 yr old is consuming a proper meal AND the adult stays during that consumption to supervise the 16 or 17yr old. Incidental you can not give ANY alcohol to a person under 5 even in your own home unless it is for medical reasons and or on doctors orders. If the 'designated premises supervisor' ( in lay mans term almost like the old term of a  licensee ) is found guilty of breaking these very strict rules they will very likely also lose their 'personal licence ' and therefore be disqualified for FIVE years before even being eligible to try and obtain a new one. In effect they risk being unemployable in the licensing trade.

Answer 17

It doesn't work! Believe me. We tried to get ours to drink sensibly (two boys) when they were younger, and to be honest, they hated the vino and preferred coca cola! (How uncouth is that!) The topping on the cake came when they were 18, and I was asked to remove one of them from school where he had been found drunk in charge of a bottle of Bacardi (empty!). I think they'd've let him off if he hadn't thrown up all over the school nurse!!!

NOW he's a sensible drinker, a fully fledged adult. He goes off the rails once in a while, but that's life. His brother is sensible and always has been (to my knowledge!!) It's a lifestyle of their own making.

They're going to drink, initially to be sociable, there's nothing you can do to prevent it (short of chaining them to the radiator for the rest of their lives). All we can do as parents, is hope, that when they do drink, their brains will engage on the 'common sense' section we worked so hard to teach them, and that they will be careful.

Answer 18

No, the licensing laws mean that it would be breaking the law for the owner/licensee to allow her to consume alcohol on their premises. The laws in the UK are that over the age of 4 you can give her alcohol in your own home, but anywhere else you have to be 18.

While I understand your reasons, it would be unfair on the licensee to have him or her lose their business and be prosecuted as a result, so if you want to show her the mature approach to alcohol, do so at home.

Answer 19

In Scotland, apparently, it is an offence to give children under five alcholol but as your daugher is 10 then you should be okay - but only in your own home.

She has to be 16 to drink with a meal in a restaurant.

Obviously, you're well aware that you shouldn't be giving her too much alcohol, instead just a taste.  Which I suppose makes it very difficult to let her see the really bad side of drinking as you don't want to give her so much that she gets sick as this may have damaging effects on her overall health as she is still growing.  Which also, I suppose, means that she won't drink enough to actually get a hangover.

Good luck anyway.

Answer 20

No she definitely cannot - she has to be 16 and having a meal with a person over 18 to be able to drink either beer or wine.  Personally I think 10 is too young to be introduced to alcohol.  A sip of yours would be ok but this is enough.

Answer 21

If you're looking for a night of R&R at the local jailhouse, go right ahead.

This answer is about as sensible as your question.

Answer 22

you r not allowed by law to give a child under 5 alcohol unless a doctor says so.a person who is 14 or over can consume alcohol in a pub or restaurant so long as it is with a meal.which dont mean a packet of crisps.I think you are being responsible and given a glass by you in a restaurant with a meal is not committing an offence nor will anyone take much notice

Answer 23

of course she can..look at the french..its intoduced gradually and they do not have the problem with have in this country with alcohol

Answer 24

What by giving her alcohol aged 10 you moron,  I had to stop drinking completely a while ago because of being around influences like you. That is a ridiculous question to ask. And you are reported.

Answer 25

it doesnt matter if you introduce them in a mature way , she is gonna get drunk at some point with her mates and learn the hard way wotever you do ,,, trust me im going through it at the mo. despite trying the sensible way lol .

Answer 26

I'd give them that sclour ( cant spell it sorry)  its that drink pitched as alchol free wine its nice drank it while i was pregnant!!

Answer 27

fair enough but no not at a restaurant at home yes. she will probably hate the wine, but when she does want to drink tell her its ok and you will give her some drink that she wants to try. But 10yrs old in a restaurant NO.

Answer 28

I mostly just want to apologise on behalf of the "I just wish I knew where you live and who you are. I'd call the police in a heartbeat"-style answers. #$*@ Americans!

But I also concur with the person who pointed out that you'd unfairly be putting the restaurant in an unpleasant position. I'd offer a 'tasting' from the adults' glasses, and leave the own-glass thing to dinner at home. Part of teaching responsible drinking should include obvious consideration for the people serving it. There's probably an exception here, though, if you're a well-liked regular at a liberal-minded restaurant, especially since I doubt she'd even be bothered to finish much of the glass.

My family was fairly sensible and honest about booze and I appreciated that; you have my approval, for what it's worth. "Call the police!" Good grief...

Answer 29

Not 100% sure but I think the age limit is 12... Check with the restaurant and give her 50/50 wine/water. This is the way the French do it - they consume far more alcohol as a nation than us, but have no problems with binge drinking as they're all brought up correctly.

Answer 30

no, why does she have to introduced to alchohol anyway.  The more you condone it now the more she will abuse it later.  You letting her do it will make her think its ok even when you are not around to make sure she does it in moderation

Answer 31

I think it's probably better to introduce it to her in the home, and probably wait until she's about 13 or so. Ten is a bit young. Plus, if you're in a public area you'll have to think about the restaurant's rules as well as (and I know this sounds prudish) the feelings/opinions of the other patrons. There's nothing wrong with alcohol education, but perhaps ten is a bit early to really get it? Personally, I grew up around alcohol and alcoholics. I don't drink myself because I've seen first hand what it does to people. Maybe when she's a teenager you could volunteer at a rehab centre as well, so that she can see all sides of the equation. Al-Anon and other related places might be good too.

Not trying to scare or be a doom-sayer, but I think it's all too easy to think by letting her try it around you it'll automatically mean it's no big deal when her "cool" friends are doing it. Sometimes it's good to see the really bad stuff along with the "it's ok to have A drink at a social occasion" stuff.

Well, good luck whatever you choose. I suppose you'll only know the effects in the long run.