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• Dad's Monkey is Mom's Monkey, Too

  In theory, kicking your substance of choice -- whether that is booze, smokes or something more illegal -- should be a piece of cake. Just stop doing it, right? The reality of quitting is a completely different beastie.  But cleaning up is even more important when there is a small person in the works. Read More... Posted Mar 23 2008, 03:00 PM by Adrienne Martini with | with no comments Filed under: drinking, cigarettes, smoking, Seattle, science, pot, alcoholism

• Drinking In Youth Won't Just Break Your Mama's Heart

  I think it is just plain messed up when any teen wild oat sowing has repercussions later in life. I mean, how can adolescents really appreciate that current behavior might lead to problems when they are fifty? I'm still stunned I managed to fill out my college applications and send them in, I was so short-sighted. Well, it turns out that being a lush when you are a youngster makes you more at risk for certain problems, and not just being branded "the Beer Bong Queen" by your cohort and having the name stick with you at your high school reunion. Researchers interviewed 2,818 people (in scientific terms we call that "a good honkin' sample") about their drinking histories... Read More... Posted Jan 29 2008, 08:02 AM by Kelly Mills with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: research study, teenagers, drinking, Wild Oats, juvenile crime, alcoholism, heart disease, adolescence, health problems

• Pregcellent: Women React Strongly To the Caffeine-Miscarriage Study

  A friend of mine had an appointment for artificial insemination, and the clinic told her she should go on bedrest for three days following the procedure to avoid any risk of miscarriage. Well, my friend looked up a bunch of studies, and according to her research, bedrest not only doesn't reduce miscarriage risk after insemination, it has just slightly higher odds of miscarriage. But I can see why the clinic advised this: They want to avoid the idea that any maternal action resulted in a pregnancy loss, and in a way it's exactly how we treat pregnancy nowadays. Don't drink at all. Be careful exercising. Avoid sushi and brie and meat that isn't cooked all the way through. And now, quit coffee or tea, or at the very least, cut way back, or you'll have to live with the fact that if only you had been willing to give it up, you might have had a viable pregnancy. All this, despite the fact that the vast majority of miscarriages are likely the result of genetic or chromosonal issues that mean the fetus would never make it to term, even if you lived in a plastic bubble and only consumed special nutrients and filtered water.  And this is just one of the things that has raised the ire of lots of women towards the latest study connecting higher caffeine consumption... Read More... Posted Jan 23 2008, 08:29 AM by Kelly Mills with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: pregnancy, research study, medicine, drinking, miscarriage, caffeine, pregcellent, taboo, physicians, pregnancy loss, angry women, genetic abnormalities

• Breaking News: Salon Finds a Non-Dysfunctional Family

  In these modern times, claiming to be from a dysfunctional family is about as novel as shopping online for gifts. At least one movie studio always comes out with a film about a zany, eccentric family who alternately abuse each other and teach each other about the power of love; news sources print columns about how to survive holiay dinners with the relatives; and some people drink too much and pass out under the strings of lights that snake over many storefronts and rooftops. Estranged family members are noticable by their absence, and at least one person is in rare form at every gathering. Awww, joy to the world. I guess that's why I actually noticed this bit on Salon's Table Talk about a non-dysfunctional family. Read More... Posted Dec 12 2007, 04:35 PM by Kelly Mills with | with no comments Filed under: Movies, drinking, holidays, Salon, relationships, dysfunctional family, normal, relatives

• Wine OK While Pregnant in UK

  Pregnant women, a toast! To the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and their reasonable guidelines that a small glass of wine everyday won't harm the fetus. Of course, if you're getting out your scorecards to move booze from the “forbidden” category to the “in small amounts,” write it in pencil. Leaders at the British Department of Health are still pushing for total alcohol abstinence from conception to birth. The two agencies will duke it out and try to come up with definitive guidelines. So, who knows what they’ll say next week and the week after that. Public health officials, doctors and midwives for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said there is no evidence of harm to a fetus from a small glass of wine every day. These NICE (awwwww) officials said, though ... Read More... Posted Oct 11 2007, 02:29 PM by Madeline Holler with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: pregnancy, drinking, fetal alcohol syndrome, U.K.

• Drunk in Kindergarten? New Research Says It's a Possibility

  I don't remember much about elementary school, probably because I was too busy trying to acclimate myself to four different schools in five years. But one thing I do remember is I never tasted alcohol until middle school. Today, I would be considered a late bloomer as a 2005 study showed that over thirteen percent of sixth graders had tasted alcohol in the previous year. These numbers are causing researchers to suggest that alcohol prevention discussions should begin in elementary school rather than waiting until the kids are teenagers.  Read More... Posted Sep 05 2007, 05:15 PM by ChagHolland with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: children, drinking, alcohol, elementary school

• Drunken Mommies: What's Okay and What's Too Much?

  Yeah, yeah, maybe we've done the whole "look at these irresponsible mommies who drink!" thing to death, but looking over this (admittedly rather old) post up at Feministing got me to thinking. But what's really telling are the comments to the short post, which mostly quotes a survey that revealed that about a quarter of mommies got drunk over the weekends, and a quarter (maybe the same quarter, who knows?) admitted to having been drunk in front of their kids, and significant numbers also admitted to drinking while under the influence, missing work due to hangovers, blacking out, and being unfaithful while drinking. Whoa, a lot of judgment going on there! And extrapolation. First: why aren't we also discussing the daddies? Second, a few definitions here might help. For instance, define "drunk". Are we talking tipsy here? Or slurring-words-falling-down? Makes quite a difference in my estimation. And the comments bring out some interesting ideas regarding cultural mores, in terms of what's socially acceptable in the U.S. vs. in Europe. Read More... Posted Jul 10 2007, 01:26 PM by Karen Murphy with | with 5 comment(s) Filed under: parenting, drinking, moms, mommies, alcohol consumption, moms who drink

• Hitting The Bottle: The Hello Kitty Martini

  I have two preschool-aged daughters. My life could not possibly be any cuter. I'm overwhelmed by pink. I spend every morning losing the battle of whether my girls will wear a dress (their position) or jeans (mine) and I spend every evening losing the nightgown-versus-pajamas skirmish. It just isn't a pair of sneakers unless it has glittery laces, it isn't a dinner plate unless it has flowers on it. Mama can't live on Dirty Princesses alone. Thank goodness for the Hello Kitty Martini. You can tell me domo arigato later.   Hello Kitty Martini 3 oz strawberry vodka 1/2 oz gin 1 1/2 oz peach schnapps Shake it up and pour into a martini glass, and garnish with a fresh strawberry. Super-kawaii!  Eternal thanks to Hello Kitty Hell, the author of whose life is way rougher than mine.   Posted Jun 29 2007, 02:56 PM by Patti with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, drinks, cocktail hour, hitting the bottle, Hello Kitty, cocktail, hello kitty martini

• What Every Parent Needs: An LCD Wine Thermometer

  Wouldn't you know it, it's a month and a half too late to buy this and call it my Mother's Day gift to myself, and a week too late to buy it for Father's Day and pretend it's really for my husband. The Carl Mertens wine thermometer clips around a standard bottle and within a minute, you're informed of the bottle's temperature. It's cleverly marked around the band with different types of wine, so even a novice can't screw up and serve the Chard too warm or the Pinot too cold. Absolute genius. I wonder if it works on baby bottles? Eh, probably not. But it's surely more useful than a damn wipes warmer. And I do have an anniversary coming up...  via Gizmodo  Posted Jun 26 2007, 09:29 AM by Patti with | with no comments Filed under: parenting, products, gadgets, drinking, wine

• Hitting The Bottle: The "School's Out"

  This drink was invented by my mother, a teacher, and her colleagues to celebrate the end of the work year. You can drink it to forget that you have three months of "Mom, I'm bored" to which you can look forward. Just imagine yourself on a tropical island with nothing to worry about—that's what my mom and her friends did, since you can't travel to exotic places on a teacher's salary. The "School's Out" 1 shot Malibu rum Pineapple juice 1 dash blue Curaçao  Serve it up or on ice, and wake me up when September comes. Posted Jun 08 2007, 03:36 PM by Patti with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, hitting the bottle, cocktails

• Hitting The Bottle: the Dirty Princess

  God, I am sick of them. I rue the day I ever told myself it was a good idea to bring them into my life. By Friday each week, I'm ready to round them up and leave them in the nearest drop box. I speak, of course, of the Disney Princesses. Shame on you if you thought I meant the kids. Thank heaven for tequila. After knocking back a little, I feel much better about crass commercialism. After knocking back a little more, I'm pretty enthusiastic about it. The Dirty Princess is a little like a margarita, but for people who spent their Cointreau budget on Cinderella nail decals.  The Dirty Princess a pint or two of fresh (hulled) or frozen strawberries premium tequila to taste (I like Don Julio and I like to taste lots of it) Copious quantities of fresh lime juice Blend, and enjoy. Frankly, I just sip it right out of the blender pitcher sometimes, but fancy people can feel free to pour it into a pretty glass with a sugared rim. No girlie girls in your house? Sub kiwi fruit for the strawberries and have yourself a Dirty Ninja Turtle. Your kids a little more sheltered from marketing than some? Sub organic vodka for the tequila, call it a Dirty Waldorf Doll. Leave the fruit out entirely and...well, don't forget to drink a big glass of water and pop a few aspirin before you go to bed.  (princess flask credit: kyledesigns.com)  Posted May 18 2007, 02:25 PM by Patti with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, cocktail hour, hitting the bottle, the dirty princess

• B is for Beer that's Good Enough for Me

  A lot of my good friends are either currently pregnant or just had a baby. Most of the time I think I am so glad I will never have to be pregnant again, but every once in a while I will see something that makes me want another baby. Here is one of those things. It's a B is for Beer t-shirt! It is as if it was made just for my children. Sadly, the largest size is 24-36 months, so while my kids must go without, if you are one of my pregnant friends you know what to expect for your shower gift. She Twisted Twee stuff they sell at Baby Dagny is pricey, but really cool. If you are on a tighter budget, but you still want all of the other parents on the playground to know about your love for alcoholic beverages, you can get this great martini onesie from Etsy. This one is only $10. Buy this stuff while your kids are little people. Once they get to be two or so they fight you and they get to decide what to wear. It is much tougher to be subtly ironic when your kid is wearing something with Dora on it.    Posted Apr 23 2007, 06:14 PM by Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, beer, clothes, cute, baby clothes, etsy, Baby Dagny, onesies, cocktails

• YouTube Goodness: Kermit's Downward Spiral

  I'll admit it - the idea of combining the post-metal/industrial sound of Trent Reznor's band with the chipper vocal stylings of everyone's favorite frog seems like a ridiculous idea. But we who grew up with Kermit forgot that it' s really not that easy being green (and we finally have an explanation for Kermit's impossibly skinny arms and legs; apparently you can see needle tracks in the hi-res Quicktime version). Miss Piggy, you ought to be ASHAMED. Look at what your wicked ways have wrought. Posted Mar 30 2007, 11:36 AM by JasonAvant with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, methamphetamine, addiction, video, drugs, satire, death, bad habits, methadone, drug addiction, muppets, Kermit, Hurt, Nine Inch Nails

• Britain Joins U.S. (and France?) in Saying No Alcohol During Pregnancy

  Ahhh the Brits.  The nice people often accused of bad food, excellent architecture and poor taste in allies have finally ruled against moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy.  Rachel Weisz better watch where she quaffs that next brew.  Unlike the Aussies, who lately have determined that drinking in moderation is still acceptable, the British government has decided to rule against even occasional consumption during pregnancy or when trying to conceive a child.  Warning labels to this effect will be added to wine, beer, and spirits.  Shockingly France, the poster country of wine with everything, is apparently also considering warning labels. Not surprisingly, wine growers and others representing alcohol interests, argue that the pregnancy warnings are overkill and point out, rightly, the new warnings contradict existing Department of Health guidelines, which allow occasional usage as not damaging to the fetus. Despite the terrible outcomes associated with drinking heavily while pregnant (fetal alcohol syndrome), most women admit to consuming alcohol at some point during pregnancy.  So total abstinence may be the absolute safest course of action, but I'm with Rachel Weisz on this one.  I think it's better to have an occasional glass of wine after the first trimester than try and follow a rigid regimen of total abstinence. And now apparently we'll both be "pilloried" in England and the States. Posted Mar 20 2007, 12:23 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: drinking, Rachel Weisz, alcohol consumption during pregnancy, drinking while pregnant, fetal alcohol syndrome

• Moms Too Drunk to Tackle Today Show "Momtini" Debate?

  The last time the Today Show ran a segment on mother fuddlers, the blogosphere lit up with heated debates about mixing alcohol with playdates. Personally, I mix my alcohol with gin, but to each her own. This time around, however, all seems quiet. For now. Maybe that's because Today Show guest Stefanie "So Hot She Must be Anorexic" Wilder-Taylor yesterday debunked some people's perceptions that moms who drink around their kids are loutish lushbags. She was funny. She was intelligent. She asked for more beer. Who wouldn't like her? Read More... Posted Feb 08 2007, 09:24 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: parenting, drinking, alcohol, mommies who drink, pub play date, behavior, mommies, Meredith Viera, Melissa Summers, Suburban Bliss, cocktail playdate, blogosphere, martini moms

• Milkscreen Allows Breastfeeding Moms to Drink Up, Knowledgably

  In 2005, Julie Jumonville and Elizabeth Smith founded Milkscreen, a company that sells a screening product to detect alcohol in breastmilk.  I'll admit I rolled my eyes and assumed this was just another tool of the Anxiety Industry when I first read about it, especially given the proliferation of worried parent books, movies, flashcards, and guides.  Is another product in this genre really necessary? The ladies of Milkscreen think so and after interviewing Ms. Jumonville, I tend to agree. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers breastfeed babies until the baby is 1 year old, but at the same token encourages women to not drink at all during pregnancy and only minimally during the first year of baby's life.  Given this, it's not surprising that many women decide to stop breastfeeding rather than take the chance with alcohol or completely give up their lifestyle for 21 months. Read More... Posted Jan 26 2007, 12:43 PM by Rachael Brownell (Redsy) with | with no comments Filed under: drinking, moms, breastmilk and alcohol, breastfeeding and drinking, mompreneurs, milkscreen, Rachel Weisz, Julie Jumonville

• Splash of Gin. Drop of Kid. Stir. Mmmm Debate

  I've already fed my infant daughter a pint of Guinness and a shot of vodka. It's good for her. I will never, ever let my daughter near alcohol. It's bad for her. In a great explore-both-sides post that is already generating debate, Paula Light's Ultrablog offers a conundrum: How do you mix alcohol and kids? (In a big glass?) Side one, in short: "Parents who drink alcohol should model responsible drinking behavior in front of their children. It's good for kids to see adults have a drink or two, in moderation, and even be offered a sip on a special occasion." Flip side, in short: "Parents must keep alcohol away from kids. They are not mini-adults, and it affects them differently." In truth, I have no idea what I'll do when my daughter grows up and asks why mommy and daddy are passed out behind the wheel. of a school bus. carrying nuns. and orphans. But with a long history of alcoholism in my family, I'm pretty sure she'll have to wait a long, long time before her first drink. Besides, the idea that special occasions need to be commemorated with alcohol has always struck me as problematic. Then again, Thursday is pretty neat. The alcohol and kids debate has popped up a lot recently. And it should be noted that one state has weighed in -- when it comes to driving at least. A new California law took effect Monday, making it a criminal offense for anyone under 21 to have a blood alcohol level of 0.01 while driving. So much for the "It's Nyquil, I swear," defense. Sorry, kids!  For a good debate on the subject, check out Ultrablog and weigh in.  Posted Jan 03 2007, 07:30 AM by Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: parenting, healthy eating, blog, nutrition, drinking, underage drinking, dui, alcohol, cocktail hour

• Martinis and Magnets - Sounds Good to Me

  Children are driving their parents to drink. Well no, more specifically parents trying to get their kids into magnet schools is what seems to be driving us them to drink. According to Ana Beatriz Cholo in an article in the Press-Telegram about the stresses of getting you child admitted into one of these magnet schools some parents have formed a sort of support group called "Martinis and Magnets". They serve cocktails that they have cleverly named after educators. I wonder if I could just show up for the free drinks? I wonder if any parents do just show up for the drinks? There are some concerns that "...cocktail parties might exclude some immigrant and low-income parents who may need more help." This is probably a valid point, but aren't magnet schools designed to funnel more money into the schools in the lower income districts anyway? The critics say it's elitist. I say - cheers! Posted Dec 30 2006, 11:19 PM by Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: parents, drinking, magnet schools, martinis, drinks

• The Katie Blair Brouhaha: Has Mothers against Drunk Driving Gone Overboard (Again)?

  I dislike Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). It's not because I consider their original mission misplaced. to the contrary, it's quite noble. But as Radley Balko (among others) has noted, MADD has gone beyond the mission of reducing drunk driving fatalities and crossed the line into promoting "neo-prohibition". Their push to penalize divorced parents who drink, and their successful campaign to increase the number of drunk drivers in the US by lowering the blood alcohol content for DUI to .08, have not made America's roads any safer; they've merely stigmatized legal adult behavior. Even MADD founder Candy Lightner now repudiates the organization as "overzealous". How had MADD responded to such criticism? By being even more overzealous than ever! Its latest stunt: cutting ties with Miss Teen USA Katie Blair because she was supposedly seen "partying" with Miss USA Tara Conner. The Miss Teen USA organization, mind you, hasn't cut ties with Blair or moved to strip her of her crown; it's determined that the allegations are much ado about nothing. But MADD doesn't give a damn. For them, a mere association with alcohol is enough to run screaming in the other direction. As a parent, it pisses me off to no end when MADD pulls crap like this in the name of "protecting the kids". Katie Blair is 18; the only reason her drinking is "underage" is because MADD continues to lobby to keep the legal age artificially high. It's one thing to crack down on drunk driving; it's quite another to demonize all drinking. Do us parents a favor, MADD: stop using our kids in your crusade to return us to the days of Al Capone and speakeasies. Posted Dec 22 2006, 08:03 AM by thezeroboss with | with no comments Filed under: parenting, children, parents, miss teen usa, drinking, underage drinking, dui, madd, alcohol, katie blair, child