How I explained my drinking to my kids.

My 10 year old poured my Vodka down the sink. He didn’t know of course because it was in one of those plastic water bottles. I transferred it there so as not to scandalize him because, he identifies drinking as bad. I was seriously considering giving it up until I heard that those who consumed alcohol lived longer. Also my cardiologist says it is good for the heart.

But I cannot just drink and let my kids think that I am being hypocritical. I would lose my moral authority and they won’t do or believe whatever I teach them. So, I talked about it in one of our goodnight talks. Here is how it went.

What do we receive in Holy Communion? Jesus in the bread and wine. So, Jesus and his friends were drinking wine during the last supper. Is wine bad? No. But, why are kids and teens not allowed to drink wine? Teens and kids’ brains are still growing. If they drink wine or alcohol, it can make them do bad things like fight, make a baby, steal, drive recklessly, use foul language or run naked in the streets. They are still immature that they make bad judgments because of the drink. Adults, like me, can drink as long as I don’t go crazy afterwards and beat up your mom or you kids. (I forgot the story about how Jesus turned water into wine for the party.) Recall how your uncles drink alcohol during parties and then sing Karaoke? Also, there are reports on how moderate amounts of alcohol make people live longer.

They understood. So, they do not ask why there’s a 6 pack in the fridge anymore.