What to do about drinking age

[scchasgal]

In Canada, the drinking age is 18 (most provinces anyway) a couple are 19. I don't see a problem with your son having a drink or two, since it is the legal age where you are going. I am sure you raised him right, and he will not break the law when he gets home. As others have said, he more than likely had a few drinks with his friends already anyways.

 

Actually it is the other way around most are 19. The only ones that are 18 are QC, MB, and AB.

 

As far as the question goes let him have a few, you will be around to make sure he doesn't go overboard (if he hasn't already)

[dan40]

The kid's old enough to wear a uniform and die for his country. He should be drinking if he wants to.

 

I'm a VietNam vet and I drink. Fighting for our country means protecting our way of life which includes upholding our laws as well. Voting is how we change the laws.

Carnival's rules are their corporate responsibility. A private company's ability to run its business as it sees fit is one of the things soldiers fight FOR, not against.

[quickrate]

These are my thoughts on the subject

They may come across as harsh but not meant to be. (lack of voice inflection and facial expression)

 

- Your 18 YO son is no longer your little boy. He's a young man.

- You have already done everything in your power to set his responsibility level in his earlier years.

- You set that level by your own actions that he observed from mom and dad

- At 18, he's most likely already had a drink or 2 with his friends. He might be able to out drink you.

- This is a perfect time to have a drink or 2 with your son. Not as mom and dad and son, but as lifelong friends. Have a drink and open up, talk about anything and everything. Once again, NOT as parents telling or advising son what to do or where to do it, but as friends.

- I know he'll always be your little boy, but I can't emphasize enough, he's now a man. Treat him as such.

Well Said!

[globe9]

I say let him have some beers. You don't really believe he's never had alcohol before do you? Heck, let him get liquored up on board....a cruise hangover is the WORST kind of hangover since the ship is always moving...i speak from experience LOL

 

On my senior cruise(I was only 17), my bar tab was $1,000 and that was in 1992! The chaperones, who were teachers, the headmaster, coaches, etc. allowed us to drink b/c they knew we wouldn't be driving. Our only rules were no shots(of course we did shots like mofos) and that we couldn't lay in bed all day...if an excursion left at 7am, we had to be up and on it....that really sucked! Especially the day we did the Jolly Roger LOL, but I'm from New Orleans and had been going to bars since I was 14, as did most of the kids at my school....even the dorks drank. We were ready for more by the end of dinner.

 

Let him have fun. He really can't get into too much trouble on board.

[amybeth4]

 

Our only rules were no shots(of course we did shots like mofos)

 

....even the dorks drank.

 

Funniest post of the thread. :p

[luddite]

I'm a VietNam vet and I drink. Fighting for our country means protecting our way of life which includes upholding our laws as well. Voting is how we change the laws.

Carnival's rules are their corporate responsibility. A private company's ability to run its business as it sees fit is one of the things soldiers fight FOR, not against.

You misunderstand. I have no problem with Carnival's rules.

I do have a problem with the US rules that were rammed down our throat, with the prodding of MADD, by a government that used an extortionant technique that tells a kid he must to register for the draft but may not legally consume adult beverages.

 

We didn't vote on the law that stipulates a drinking age.

 

I stand by my belief. He's old enough to sign up, put on the uniform,go to the sand-box with a big target on his back, well, by god he's old enough to drink.

 

If he's gonna be in Mexico where it's legal for him to drink, I cannot see how the dad can have a claim on his behavior.

[azrayne]

2 yrs ago my son and I along with his 3 best friends and their families went on a cruise. When we were getting off the ship in Cozumel, we dtold the kids as long as we were with them throughout the port times, they could drink what they wanted. The kids were all just 18, hs grads, boys and top of their class.

 

One of the dad's and I took the kids 1st thing before our excursion to a restuarant to wait and grab some food. They also had their first tequila sunrise (it was 7am). We ordered 2 drinks for the 4 of them. None finished. The had a couple of beers later, thats it. They still had more fun seeing who could eat the most ice cream cones on the ship.

 

In Feb I'm going again with the same son, who'll be 21 in April. His brother who will be 19 is going too. They are both responsbile kids. I know they both drink at times, my younger son is a very good beer pong player (I've watched). They know what the potential issues could be if they make the drinking mistakes.

 

I can't make those decisions for them. They have to do it. I trust them. I think that because I also work in the liquor industry and its always been available, they see I dont partake often so they see no need to.

 

It is very nice to be able to sit down, grab something to eat and have a civilized drink with your kids.

 

BTW, my opinion is, if you can join the military (or be forced to) and your trusted to vote, you should be able to have a drink.

 

Here's a curious thought. There is a chance that by 2014 all cars would have a alcohol breath test as a mandatory safety item. At that time, why not reduce the age back to 18? Your thoughts?

[itgeek]

Adding my 2 cents... I was 16 when graduated HS and went off to college. Even though the drinking age was 21, I had no problem obtaining alcohol. In fact, it usually came searching me out. Luckily I had good parents and good sense.

 

If the 18 y/o's want to drink, let them. I'd rather see them drink under mom and dad's watchful eyes than at some friend's house who will cam it on their phone and post it to YouTube. Nothing would be more humbling for an 18 y/o than driving the porcelain bus w/ mom behind 'em. Would probably help keep them from doing it again under less loving circumstances.

 

- IT Geek

[sjn911]

Out of a family of sixteen..2 adults could not drink...one is no longer with us due to alcohol..one is active alcoholic.

 

The rest of us either drink responsibly or do not drink..seems to go one way or the other.

 

I turned 18 when 18 was legal in Montana..but was in school in Oregon...and I

had my b-day drinks in college..roll eyes.

 

I was lucky enough to have parents that could and do drink responibly and have the priviledge of fairly good modeling in that respect and a body chemistry that can have a drink..but less and less as I age (alcohol=tough on the stomach and weight)...so it is a very personal decision..but one worth thinking about and hashing out here I think..sjn.

[halos]

Why does NY always have the strictest rules? :)

 

 

LOL...keep in mind this was a LONG time ago (when dinosaurs roamed the earth :D)

[hockeyluver]

I can't make those decisions for them. They have to do it. I trust them. I think that because I also work in the liquor industry and its always been available, they see I dont partake often so they see no need to.

 

It is very nice to be able to sit down, grab something to eat and have a civilized drink with your kids.

 

 

I agree 100% with you. We have always allowed our girls to drink at home, they never saw the need to get drunk when going out to parties with thier friends. They would always say you can tell which kids parents are strict about drinking... they were the ones wasted beyond belife!!

[nrdsb4]

 

I stand by my belief. He's old enough to sign up, put on the uniform,go to the sand-box with a big target on his back, well, by god he's old enough to drink.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the 21 drinking age. I think it has created as many or more problems than it has solved. However, that tired old "if they're old enough to die for their country, they're old enough to drink" line is imo one of the poorest arguments for lowering the drinking age. Go to a college party or spring break venue and watch the under age drinkers. NONE of them are lining up to defend our country. The majority of 18 to 20 y/o's in this country have absolutely no interest in putting their lives on the line to uphold our freedoms.

 

It would be more appropriate to say any active duty military 18-20 gets an exception to drink than to say that all military aged citizens have somehow earned the right to drink.

 

 

If he's gonna be in Mexico where it's legal for him to drink, I cannot see how the dad can have a claim on his behavior.

 

Regardless of whether or not we're talking about drinking or other behaviors, if Dad is paying for his cruise, his college tuition, his living expenses, I think he has some say. If the son is living independently, that's a different story.

[luv2cruz66]

At 18 he has probably already had a beer or 100 anyway,......

 

LOL ! Our son will be 18 on our next cruise next summer....he will have also finished his freshman year at college....so I agree with you 100%...he'll probably have already had 1 or 100 already! We don't let him drink at home...it's illegal, but we will let him induldge responsibly when in port because it is legal there.

[hockeyluver]

You would not believe the number of kids we get from the States crossing the border to drink here in Windsor :eek: the border guards obviously can smell they have been drinking but cant do anything about it because they were of age where the drinking took place. Unless they are over the limit. Which here in Ontario 2 beers and you are leagally over and can loose your license .

 

OP your the parents if your comfortable letting him have a couple of drinks then go for it....

 

lol a bottle of water in st.martens was $1.00 a beer was $.99 lol go figure.:p

[tbjl24]

The whole discussion is a waste of time, in my eyes. He is 18. He is an adult. The legal age in Mexico is 18.

 

It's his decision and no one elses. :confused::confused::confused:

[1midsun]

Actually it is the other way around most are 19. The only ones that are 18 are QC, MB, and AB.

 

As far as the question goes let him have a few, you will be around to make sure he doesn't go overboard (if he hasn't already)

 

 

I guess that is why I thought is was 18 in most provinces. I grew up in Manitoba, and moved to Alberta LOL

 

Have a GREAT day!!!:)