Back in teh 60’s, my dad gave me his beer to try. I was about 9. He told me I could drink whenever I wanted, he’s give me the beer. He didn’t want me sneaking around and I guess didn’t want to be a hypocrite either.
It was a Stroh’s so it tasted like crap; in fact, i hate the taste of beer so that was it for me.
If he’d given me a Kahlua, things would’ve been different.
He also gave a 3 year old boy a beer, in front of his father. The father and my dad thought this was funny and great!
My question: is this illegal?
Giving your child alcohol with your permission?
No. I don’t have citations, but my understanding is that providing alcohol to your own child is legal. If you did it consistently and excessively, there is probably a child abuse/endangerment charge waiting for you, and if you let the kid drive afterwards you would at least be civilly liable (not sure about criminal liability - perhaps an aiding and abetting charge), but this would generally fall under “raise your kids as you see fit”.
The same analysis probably would not apply to your father giving the beer to the 3-y.o. son of the friend. Even though the kid’s father approved, this was still illegal - hell, a teenager can’t go into a bar with a permission slip. 
I doubt seriously, of course, that a D.A. would try to prosecute your dad under the circumstances.
Sua
I’m pretty sure that in at least some states, it is illegal. I suppose whether you’ll actually be convicted of a crime depends on whether the authorities find out about it, how zealous the prosecuter is, and how understanding the jury is.
I do vaguely remember reading about one case in the Wall Street Journal editorial pages. A parent was prosecuted for serving wine to his teenage son at a meal. The best I can remember, this was around 1994, but I have no idea how the case turned out.
According to this issue of People magazine with the Bush daughters on the cover, it is legal in some states for a minor to drink with a parents’ permission. However, I was under the impression that it was a state to state issue.
In Ontario there is a statutory exemption in the Liquor License Act which permits a person under 19 to drink at home with his or her parent.
A parent would have to keep in mind the Child and Family Services Act, which permits child protection agencies to step in if there is a liklihood of harm to a child, and the Criminal Code, which has a provisions concerning contributing to the delenquincy of minors.
What it comes down in reality is that a glass of wine on a Sunday family meal is fine, but boozing it up is not.
In Texas it is legal for a parent to serve their child alcohol, no matter what the age. In fact I just had to remind a cop of that that fact a couple of weeks ago (mother is 49, daughter is 19). He backed off soon enough when he realized they knew their rights.
If only Jenna had Dad there, they would have avoided so much crap!
My dad did the same thing with me. He also did it with cigarettes, coffee and pot. And it worked, the beer, marlboros and black coffee all tasted so horrible that I never touched the stuff again. Well that’s a half truth. I dispise the taste of coffee. I smoked 1 cigarette for a part in a play. And didn’t turn down the free beer all my older friends handed to me in order to get me drunk when I was young and in college. Everybody wanted to get the 17 yo drunk. Although I’ve never bought any alcohol except for that one bottle of wine for the French club dinner.
My dad’s trick did not work for pot or for smoked oysters. Although I quit the first when I started kindegarten. And have lost my taste for the second one.
my understanding is that really little kids, like 1-2 years old, really like the taste of beer. My 12 month old daughter does when we dip her pacifier in beer. She likes wine much less and hasn’t tried anything else.
I’ve heard that when kids are more like 3-4 years old the taste buds change and they dislike the taste of beer.
In Wisconsin it is legal for parents to serve their minor children alcohol. Furthermore, a minor can buy and drink alcohol in a tavern if his or her parents are there and approve. I was shocked when I saw this for the first time when visiting my in-laws in 1986. My youngest brother- and sister-in-law were 16 and 13 respectively and the first time I saw Rick belly up to the bar next to his mom and dad, then order and drink a beer my jaw just about hit the bar. I never saw Becky drink on that trip (although she did come into the tavern with us several times and drink soda) but, according to my husband, he was served beer as young as 12. In fact, after his first hunting trip (at age 12) he got shitfaced, in a bar, with his father, grandfather, uncles and cousins. BTW, after my sister-in-law married (at age 16) she could drink in the taverns as long as her husband, who was 25, was with her – I guess a husband is considered a guardian under these circumstances.
Yes, these are the laws here in the Majical Land of Cheese "The Drunkest Place on Earth"tm
The loose screw in this law is this: I can legally give my 16 year old son liquor, but I cannot legally give my 20 year old daughter liquor. Wierd, huh? This wasn’t always the case, as the drinking age here was 18 until the Feds started threatening highway funds if they didn’t raise it.
I could legally drink through most of my senior year in high school, as could many of my class mates.
If giving liquor to your kids being legal surprises you, I should tell you about the True Value hardware store here that sells both liquor and handguns!!!
FYI: Stroh’s topped the list of this month’s Consumer Reports rating of domestics. PBR came in number four. Connoiseurs of cheap beer were hi-fiving all across the nation yesterday. To hell with Bud-swilling beer snobs.
heh, legal to drink at 18 here in belfast(at any age in a private house)and most teens go out to pubs from 15 onwards with their parents full knowledge and approval.
in fact i was in a club in belfast on thursday to see my friend’s band play, and the average age was about 15. i felt so old. i kept being asked if i was sober because i was pregnant (no-one else being old enough to drive)it was very disconcerting. well that and the 15 y/o lesbians having sex in the toilets. loudly.
hell it’s either go out and drink, or join a proscribed organisation for entertainment around here.