Boozy parents = Boozy kids?

My daily fix of current affairs, is a programme called The Wright Stuff. It’s a television panel/debate programme but I effectively listen to it whilst working.

Yesterday, there was a debate called “Boozy parents = Boozy kids?”

Obviously I can only speak from personal experience. But I don’t think there is a formula.

I have real experience of this situation. My dad would have whisky before coffee in the morning. He used to keep a bottle of whisky between the hand brake and his seat in the car. And yes, that was illegal. He would pop the bottle between his knees, unscrew the top and have a slurp whilst driving. I knew how to ‘fix a drink’ from a very early age, he liked ‘two fingers’, and from when I was about eleven I used to get sent to the local supermarket with a note, which it seemed allowed me to buy cider and cigarettes for his partner.

As a child I wasn’t allowed to do much out of school socialising, so I thought this drinking thing was normal. It was definitely a big part of household life, and I didn’t have much of an idea of the way other people lived, but I first became aware of it not being normal in early high school, I was 13. Here’s how I became aware…

I got home from school one day and, as usual dad and his partner were up in the bedroom. That was where they spent most of their time when he wasn’t at work. There or the local social club. As usual they shouted down their drink orders which I made and took up to them. Dad and his partner looked very happy, which was always a bonus, and within minutes the reason for the happiness became clear. Dad’s partner was pregnant. I was also very happy about this, because remember everything was ‘normal’. The following day at school I was talking to a teacher and I was understandably excited so I told her about the pregnancy. I finished with “… I was so excited I spilt her glass of gin!!” AT THIS POINT I realised that our home life may NOT be normal. Her face as I finished my sentence is still clear in my mind, a mixture of horror, disgust and pity. I don’t remember what happened afterwards but I will always remember her face.

Time moved on and I ended up being fostered, and was allowed to socialise. I then saw how families usually lived and that alcohol is not normally so prevalent in family life.

Anyway, I don’t think ‘Boozy parents = Boozy kids’. Personally, I’m not NOT a drinker, but the last time I had alcohol was maybe xmas. C will have a glass of wine in the evening with dinner. I have lemon squash, just because I have to be in the mood for alcohol, not because I’m hung up about it. The only hang up I have it seems is the inability to buy spirits in a shop. I can’t do it. I think people are going to assume I’m a ‘whisky before coffee’ person. So the purchasing of spirits to keep the barely used drinks cupboard stocked is down to C!

Listening to the debate yesterday it seems the people that rang in didn’t agree either. I think the consensus was that Boozy parents = Non-boozy kids. But we know it’s a small section, so it’s not really definitive.