Is drinking in front of your children really child abuse?

[Emilio_Lizardo]

I was reading an article in the New York Times about children of 9/11 victims, when I read the following:

@New York Times

In legal documents, the mother accused her in-laws of abuse and neglect, including drinking in front of them.

Is that correct? Am I “abusing” or “neglecting” my kids if I have a glass of wine while we’re eating dinner together? Surely that can’t be the case.

[susan]

Nope. Though in Oregon, using or manufacturing methamphetamine on the premises is.

Anybody can accuse anyone of anything. In my experience, custody cases raise all sorts of accusations. It may be that the NY Times is under-reporting, but it’s not illegal to drink when children are around.

Edit:

The Gencos’ daughter-in-law has accused them of transgressions including striking the children and allowing a dog to frighten them (none of the charges were verified by court-appointed investigators).

Emphasis mine.

[R.P.McMurphy]

That would explain it:

All of those beautiful, sexy, stylish French women are victims of child abuse because the family would share a bottle of wine with dinner.

[Sage_Rat]

I suspect that the lady meant “heavy drinking.” I.e. they were alcoholics.

Going from my cousins’ experience, I’m going to have to vote that if you’re an alcoholic, then probably drinking in front of the kids is abuse. Even if only because they know what you’re going to be like in an hour or two and have to watch it happen.

[susan]

(none of the charges were verified by court-appointed investigators

).

[Ruby]

@Emilio Lizardo

I was reading an article in the New York Times about children of 9/11 victims, when I read the following: Is that correct? Am I “abusing” or “neglecting” my kids if I have a glass of wine while we’re eating dinner together? Surely that can’t be the case.

Apparently some school districts believe it to be a nothing-short-of-mortal-sin. My cousin, a well-respected teacher in a small town was seen having a beer with dinner at a local restaurant/bar. She was not intoxicated nor were her dinner guests. Apparently some goody-two-shoes parent got in the face of the school board and my cousin was formally reprimanded for consuming alcohol in public!!! :rolleyes:

[Rigamarole]

@Sage Rat

I suspect that the lady meant “heavy drinking.” I.e. they were alcoholics.

Going from my cousins’ experience, I’m going to have to vote that if you’re an alcoholic, then probably drinking in front of the kids is abuse. Even if only because they know what you’re going to be like in an hour or two and have to watch it happen.

Yes, this could be construed as reasonable, while the notion of simply having a cocktail in front of one’s children as being “abuse” is simply ridiculous.

Basically, I’d look at it this way - glass of wine at dinner? Who cares?

Kill a case of Heineken (or whatever alcoholics drink) night after night in front of children and then go into a verbal and/or physical rage afterwards - whether toward them or toward others (spouse etc.) is still essentially abusive, or at least creating a very negative environment for the children.

[sturmhauke]

Alcoholics drink the same things as anyone else, just a hell of a lot more of it. Although they might be more willing to buy the rockgut stuff.

[butler1850]

I wonder what Child Protective Services would say about my not only drinking in front of my daughter, but actually MANUFACTURING BEER!!! in front of her!!!

The Butlerette also seems to like foam from very hoppy beers. (sampled in 2yo finger size dips).

[Phlosphr]

Alcoholics don’t necessarily drink large quantities of alcohol, but in the case of the OP, I’d say anyone who fosters a negative environ for their children; this would mean an unsafe environment, would be considered doing the child(ren) harm.

Drinking a beer, or a glass of wine - non-alcoholically - is not a problem and as people have said, happens the world over. It’s when children are endangere that the issue arises.

[Will_Repair]

Hence the term: insederous.