Prof. Jane Ballis

Can early introduction to alcohol in childhood reduce binging in later years?

My wife is French and she argues that kids should have wine diluted with water with Sunday dinners and other important meals as a way to teach them how to enjoy wine and dining but also as a way to introduce them to alcohol in a way that won’t make them want to get drunk. She argues that we have so many more problems with alcohol here because no one ever learns how to enjoy alcohol in moderation with food as young people and instead everyone’s first experiences with alcohol around here involve like keg parties and basically getting wasted. Her logic kind of makes sense to me but still, there is something that just feels so wrong about give our young kids (aged 7 and 9) alcohol – not to mention the possibility of child services busting down our door!!! Is what she says true or do the French have less problems with alcohol and drunkenness for reasons totally other than because they introduce wine at a young age.