What to do about drinking age

[truchattycathy]

I see nothing wrong with letting your son have a beer with his dad in Mexico. My son is 19, will be junior in college and I occasionally hand him a beer if others are drinking. He will be a senior in college before he is of "legal" age to drink, and yet he can vote, and be drafted it is ever reinstated. The legal age to drink when I was a teenager was 18, and I don't see a big difference now that the age is 21. JMHO My kids and I often have discussions about responsible drinking and that it is never ok to drink if you have had anything to drink.

 

let the flaming begin.

[parrotthead]

The legal age to drink when I was a teenager was 18, .

Me too, then they changed it back to 21.. but still had to let those of us that were 'grandfathered in' drink, Oh the '80!

:D

[amybeth4]

Me too, then they changed it back to 21.. but still had to let those of us that were 'grandfathered in' drink, Oh the '80!

:D

 

Grandfathered? SERIOUSLY? Are you remembering that correctly or was that what you and your friends decided, lol. It doesn't seem to do much good if they're still gonna let all those people drink.

 

I remember when it went from 18 to 19 in NY. When I turned 19 in June, that Sept. it jumped to 21. I had 2 months to drink and that was it. No grandfathering.

 

(PS the ONLY drink I had in that 2 months was the ONE on my birthday, lol. I hated alcohol so I didn't care what age it was.

 

Now at 44, unfortunately, I'm a pretty big fan, haha.

[denred4]

In 2006 my kids were legal at 19 and 20 on the ship - for beer only! oh man, did they love it. I let them drink since they were abiding by the laws. Also, they had already been away at college, so this wasn't much different (probably calmer) than a frat party.

[parrotthead]

Amybeth, yup. Those whose birthdays fell within a certin range were still allowed to drink legally. Texas laws can be very interesting. :)

[amybeth4]

Amybeth, yup. Those whose birthdays fell within a certin range were still allowed to drink legally. Texas laws can be very interesting. :)

 

Well then I'd say, "I'm movin' to TX," but I spent a year (and 2 summers) in the DFW area a couple of years ago. I wanted to kill myself. 45 days of over 100 degrees in 2006. AAUUGGHH!!!!

[parrotthead]

Well then I'd say, "I'm movin' to TX," but I spent a year (and 2 summers) in the DFW area a couple of years ago. I wanted to kill myself. 45 days of over 100 degrees in 2006. AAUUGGHH!!!!

 

Yes, we've already hit triple digits a few times this year, started early this year. :) lived here all my life, Im sorta used to it ;)

[4boysnus]

OP... IMHO, this is an issue between you, your hubby and son and really should be kept that way rather than a discussion of what others think on a message board.

 

You are the parents and decisions like this should be up to you and your family.... not a message board !

 

I think you may be missing the point of a message board /forum/community... Because this is a cruise board for everyone, including families, I'm sure many others on here have run into this situation.

 

OP I would never want an adult that young, in a foreign country, to lose control of themselves. Too much can happen to them. If your son is with you then let him knock back a few. You know he's safe, no one is breaking the law, and he gets to have a great vacation memory. He knows the drinking age in the US and I'm sure he won't break that law anymore after the cruise than he did before the cruise.

 

Its hard when they get that age. My oldest is turning 21 and I really wish he would go back to age 13. Never thought I'd say that but I had much more control then than I do now. Now if he's making the wrong decision we have a discussion about it and he makes up his own mind. At 13 I could just ground him - easy breezy.

 

Good luck and have a little faith in your parenting skills.

 

:) Kerry

[amybeth4]

Yes, we've already hit triple digits a few times this year, started early this year. :) lived here all my life, Im sorta used to it ;)

 

What town? I did a US tour with a theater group based in Dallas so before we hit all the other states, we went to like 10 cities in TX. The best part was swimming in the gulf, which was as warm as a bathtub, in Galveston in Oct. That was yummy.

[kris12]

Amybeth, yup. Those whose birthdays fell within a certin range were still allowed to drink legally. Texas laws can be very interesting. :)

 

 

LOL I remember that time period! I think I was already "of age"

[winddawn]

We are taking my 18 year old on his first cruise in October. So... my question is, do you let your kids drink in Mexico? We know the age on the ship is 21. But, my dh and me have differing opinions about letting him drink in Mexico. My dh feels that it may teach him about responsible, social drinking... having 1 or 2 drinks during the day and not needing to get drunk. I am not really sure what to think... I don't want him to think that drinking is okay with us when we get home since legal age is 21. What do you all think? I am probably opening myself up here to LOTS of opinions. Not trying to start a fight.

Just remember.......what happens down in Mexico........stays in Mexico!!! lol

 

My first thought is--if he wants to drink, he's going to drink. Maybe not in Mexico, but somewhere. Why not supervise it since you're presented with the opportunity? An 18 year old American teen?? He's probably already had his first drinks and you just don't know about it.

 

Hope you enjoy your time with your family cruising. Have a great cruise!

[halos]

Grandfathered? SERIOUSLY? .

Yes...that's true.

In PA, (where I lived when I was a teen) drinking age was always 21. In NJ it was 18. When I turned 18...my friends and I would go out in NJ. ;) Just a hop, skip and jump over the bridge. :D

I think when I was 19, the drinking age went to 21 in Jersey...but I was Grandfathered so I could still drink in NJ even though I was just 19. ;)

[amybeth4]

Yes...that's true.

In PA, (where I lived when I was a teen) drinking age was always 21. In NJ it was 18. When I turned 18...my friends and I would go out in NJ. ;) Just a hop, skip and jump over the bridge. :D

I think when I was 19, the drinking age went to 21 in Jersey...but I was Grandfathered so I could still drink in NJ even though I was just 19. ;)

 

Why does NY always have the strictest rules? :)

[Aknot]

I think you may be missing the point of a message board /forum/community... Because this is a cruise board for everyone, including families, I'm sure many others on here have run into this situation.

 

However im 100% positive many others have not run into the same situation with the same mother (step) father and child.

 

Which makes everyone's situation different and can only be addressed by those involved.

[ChefSusan]

I reside in the "keep it between family members". Have a frank discussion with your son, and if he does have a drink or two, he won't go overboard. And if he does, he will learn this lesson before going off to college.

[parrotthead]

What town? I did a US tour with a theater group based in Dallas so before we hit all the other states, we went to like 10 cities in TX. The best part was swimming in the gulf, which was as warm as a bathtub, in Galveston in Oct. That was yummy.

Dallas area.

[amybeth4]

Dallas area.

 

Well then howdy, former neighbor, haha.

[parrotthead]

Well then howdy, former neighbor, haha.

hi!

(not to highjack but)

What theatre group were you with?

[amybeth4]

hi!

(not to highjack but)

What theatre group were you with?

 

I did two nat'l tours with the Dallas Children's Theater over on Skillman near 75 and NW Hwy. I also did two shows there at the theater. Also, they have a resident puppet troupe and I did shows with them - we were hired for two summers by Six Flags (Arlington).

 

Those were some sweaty summers. :)

 

Since I didn't have a permanent place to stay, I did a lot of bouncing around. I lived in Dallas, Arlington and Ft. Worth, right near some college in not such a great area.

[parrotthead]

Very cool

:)

[1midsun]

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.

[hockeyluver]

LOL here is a different twist, I am taking my 19yr old daughter on a cruise in August, she can legally drink here in Canada but cant on the ship :D, Im sure she will have a few while on board and definitly on the excursions. :p

[elcuchio24]

You might as well let them drink in Mexico, better to break them in now then have them go in dry when they go to Cancun on Spring Break next year. Last think you want to see is your kid end up on youtube. Honestly, who cares if the kid drinks a little in mexico on a family vacation. Do you know what goes on at college? Seriously? You honestly probably wouldn't believe it or want to know...

[whenthecatsaway]

I think it's disturbing that parents need to resort to an internet messageboard full of people they don't know to answer a question that they, their spouse, and their offspring should be answering themselves. I mean, if you *really* want a sound opinion, hire a bloody therapist. It's not like their asking about an excursion or a port, they're asking complete and total strangers (some of whom are most likely psychopaths) for important life advice.

 

 

 

Perhaps some people round here could do with a drink ;)

 

I am a therapist, and whatever you decide to do....COMMUNICATE :)

[luddite]

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