Giving my kids wine

[Drew]

Welcome, Blue. If your children are under the legal drinking age for the State that your in, it is technically illegal, BUT......
malicious intent drives the enforcement of laws. If you supply minors with alcohol with the intent to allow them to become intoxicated, you're most likely guilty of a misdemeanor in most States. If you supply small amounts of alcohol, wine, etc. in the privacy of your home,under supervision, to YOUR children with the intent of education, culture sharing, religious observance etc., you'll not have a problem and I don't know any law enforcement officer in his/her right mind that would attempt to enforce that law. Many/most restaurants will not allow an obvious minor to openly consume alcohol from a non-shared glass and all should not allow you to order wine for them,(if caught by licensing authorities they could lose their liquor license). If your children share a little from your glass, you shouldn't have a problem. We haven't reached the point as yet, in this country, of recognizing wine as a food. Personally, though, I would never offer alcohol to any minor that did not come from my loins...that's usually asking for problems.

Drew



[This message has been edited by Drew (edited 12-08-2000).]