Strollerderby

While drinking at playdates may be a "NONissue," I think having the Today Show throw their weight behind it makes it one, on two counts:

1. Their argument is part of a broader perspective that surfaces on a daily basis: that mothers must make blind, thoroughly sanitized, dehumanizing sacrifices for their children at every waking moment, and should not trust themselves and their own ability to govern their actions.

2. Children who learn how to drink responsibly generally learn it from their parents. Not from their peers. Not at college. Not from health class. They either learn it from their parents, or they learn it the hard way when they are adults who should know better, or they don't learn it at all.

Neither of these things are a non-issue. They are, in fact, very important ones.

I agree that it's not a NON-issue, but that it's being blown out of all proportion via the Today show and various internet outlets where it's being discussed.

Obviously, if you're drinking yourself into a blind stupor at a playdate, you have a problem.  But one glass of wine?  Sign me up!  I even have a corkscrew KEYCHAIN.

I also agree with the fact that kids learn responsible drinking from their parents.  I was practically raised in various pubs and I am, surprisingly enough, not an alcoholic.  I am, however, very good at pinball.

I was shocked and and very upset watching this show about having a drink while at youe childs playgroup.  What is wrong with you people who think this is ok??? Save the drink for your time not your childs time.

This shouldn't be about what men get to do. It's the safty of your child that comes first. The word Cocktail and play group should not even be in the same sentence.

Leave the kids at home with dad one night a week go out with friends have your cocktail then.

Julie Cozine

Feh.  One glass of wine is not in any way going to prevent a mother from caring for her kids.  And I agree that it's good for children to see their parents model responsible drinking.  I went to college with a number of Southern Baptist girls who came from small towns in dry counties and hadn't had any experience whatsoever with alcohol.  They were ALWAYS the ones that ended up out-of-their-mind drunk and dancing on the bar in a bra or calling at 3am from a strange guy's house, begging to be picked up.  While most of us knew to keep the number of drinks to two or three in a night, they had no idea how many were too many and had to learn the hard way.

I never even heard of the "cocktail playdate" before this whole fiasco.  I have to admit, I think it is a little weird to call it a playdate.  Just say we are having friends over and then have a glass of wine.  Is seems strange to have to call out the fact that this is really a playdate for the kids and not a get-together for the adults.

And I get the "other" side of being concerned about drinking too much or having healthy way to cope with stress.  I just think the whole thing was blown out of proportion.  

And Ms. Viera can cut the crap about when you are the "primary caregiver" speech.  I am ALWAYS the primary caregiver.  I am never NOT the primary caregiver.  Does that mean I can't ever have a break?  

here's a hypothetical, slightly off-topic question:  how do kids learn about "responsible drinking" when neither parent imbibes?  not for reasons of being tightassed teetotalers, but because of having complicated, unhealthy relationships with alcohol?  so, are those kids destined to have disastrous, irresponsible drinking-type lives?

the only thing that makes me uncomfortable about this whole "martini playdate" thing is the idea that relaxation = a glass of wine.  it seems equally important to model the fact that you can have fun and be relaxed and hang with friends with NO alcohol involved.  as a non-drinker (for the reasons stated above) the whole idea is just weird to me.

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