Never say Never
Last year in September I wrote of how I felt about my teenagers drinking alcohol...here and here. You were all fabulous and gave me your opinions and told me of past experiences etc. My boys are both having the occasional drink these days, like when we're out to dinner or hanging out at their Dad's etc...and as far as I'm aware, they've not been drinking without one of their parents nearby. I haven't got to the stage where the fridge is stocked for them to help themselves here at home yet. Those pre-mixes are pretty much like lolly water...they're just too easy to drink...I know this through personal experience lol.
Last night as I was lounging around in front of the telly, my kids joined me in the living room and Cameron mentioned that a good friend of his had attended a party on Friday night. Cam had chosen not to go because he was working at 6 the following morning and thought it best to pass on it or he'd never get to work on time. I asked him if his friend enjoyed the party. Yes he did, but he got horribly drunk and was throwing up by the end of the night.
This started off a lengthy conversation about the effects of alcohol and how we're all different...how our bodies react to it, how we feel the next day etc. It also reminded me of a story about my brother when he was 16.
My brother and 4 of his friends had gone up north and stayed at a house on the beachfront. The Mum, who owned this house, had dropped the kids off and continued on north to stay overnight with a friend, leaving these responsible young lads on their own for the night.
Where the alcohol came from, I have no idea...I suspect it was already there, it was a holiday home afterall, primed for entertainment. The kids started playing cards that evening, and international drinking rules. You know the ones? If you point at anyone, you scull....if you say certain things, you scull...if you do just about anything but stand on your head, you scull. They were drinking bourbon...straight from the bottle. Everyone had a great time, there was lots of laughter and fun, good times were had. Wooot!
My brother woke the following morning....to the rancid smell of his own puke beside him on the bed. It was dry and crusty, and adhered his face to the pillow. (Just writing that is making my stomach turn lol). The other boys weren't in any better shape. One of them had gone to the bathroom in the middle of night...had a crap...missed the toilet...stepped in it and walked it across the carpet on his way back to bed.
The bottom line...they all woke to find they were now in a filthy, stinking, hell hole...one they'd created themselves. Panic set in...Mum was returning later that afternoon, to collect them on her way back to town. They pooled what money they had...rushed to the nearest store (I doubt they were doing much rushing at that stage)....and bought up as many cleaning products as they could afford.
My sister received a phone call from my brother. He asked if she'd mind if they used her washing machine....naturally she said yes. This was her little brother, the only boy and the baby of the family, completely doted upon...in other words...anything he wanted, he got. Later she's telling me on the phone "I had no idea Lisa!...they turned up with duvets, pillows, blankets...the washing machine was going non-stop!"
Mum turned up that afternoon to pick them up and couldn't get over how wonderfully clean the place was, the boys weakly smiling with pride under her scrutiny. Later my brother swore to me that he was NEVER going to get drunk...EVER again! *snort* I bet him $10 he would, but he insisted.
Talking about it with the kids last night, there was much laughter and "Eewww!"s but I was kinda hoping it would sink in that regardless of how often I hear "I'm never going to drink to that stage...I'm far more responsible than that" (Cameron the Righteous, give the kid a knighthood lol)...that even the uncle they adore and can do no wrong in their eyes...is still quite capable of getting into such a state.
We've all been there, and I have no doubt that my kids will have their own turn. And while I'm not keen to see either of them in that condition, I'm hoping that when they do, their father or I, will be close by to help them through it. I particularly want to be there the following morning, bashing around pots and pans in the kitchen and talking about "greasy pork chops" etc lol.
This has also reminded me that my brother still owes me $10.
Last night as I was lounging around in front of the telly, my kids joined me in the living room and Cameron mentioned that a good friend of his had attended a party on Friday night. Cam had chosen not to go because he was working at 6 the following morning and thought it best to pass on it or he'd never get to work on time. I asked him if his friend enjoyed the party. Yes he did, but he got horribly drunk and was throwing up by the end of the night.
This started off a lengthy conversation about the effects of alcohol and how we're all different...how our bodies react to it, how we feel the next day etc. It also reminded me of a story about my brother when he was 16.
My brother and 4 of his friends had gone up north and stayed at a house on the beachfront. The Mum, who owned this house, had dropped the kids off and continued on north to stay overnight with a friend, leaving these responsible young lads on their own for the night.
Where the alcohol came from, I have no idea...I suspect it was already there, it was a holiday home afterall, primed for entertainment. The kids started playing cards that evening, and international drinking rules. You know the ones? If you point at anyone, you scull....if you say certain things, you scull...if you do just about anything but stand on your head, you scull. They were drinking bourbon...straight from the bottle. Everyone had a great time, there was lots of laughter and fun, good times were had. Wooot!
My brother woke the following morning....to the rancid smell of his own puke beside him on the bed. It was dry and crusty, and adhered his face to the pillow. (Just writing that is making my stomach turn lol). The other boys weren't in any better shape. One of them had gone to the bathroom in the middle of night...had a crap...missed the toilet...stepped in it and walked it across the carpet on his way back to bed.
The bottom line...they all woke to find they were now in a filthy, stinking, hell hole...one they'd created themselves. Panic set in...Mum was returning later that afternoon, to collect them on her way back to town. They pooled what money they had...rushed to the nearest store (I doubt they were doing much rushing at that stage)....and bought up as many cleaning products as they could afford.
My sister received a phone call from my brother. He asked if she'd mind if they used her washing machine....naturally she said yes. This was her little brother, the only boy and the baby of the family, completely doted upon...in other words...anything he wanted, he got. Later she's telling me on the phone "I had no idea Lisa!...they turned up with duvets, pillows, blankets...the washing machine was going non-stop!"
Mum turned up that afternoon to pick them up and couldn't get over how wonderfully clean the place was, the boys weakly smiling with pride under her scrutiny. Later my brother swore to me that he was NEVER going to get drunk...EVER again! *snort* I bet him $10 he would, but he insisted.
Talking about it with the kids last night, there was much laughter and "Eewww!"s but I was kinda hoping it would sink in that regardless of how often I hear "I'm never going to drink to that stage...I'm far more responsible than that" (Cameron the Righteous, give the kid a knighthood lol)...that even the uncle they adore and can do no wrong in their eyes...is still quite capable of getting into such a state.
We've all been there, and I have no doubt that my kids will have their own turn. And while I'm not keen to see either of them in that condition, I'm hoping that when they do, their father or I, will be close by to help them through it. I particularly want to be there the following morning, bashing around pots and pans in the kitchen and talking about "greasy pork chops" etc lol.
This has also reminded me that my brother still owes me $10.
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