Wile E. Coyote
Critical Thinker
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 342
I was recently told by my female cousin that her mother, my aunt, allows her son, my male cousin, to smoke and drink in the house. My cousin, John, is 17 years old and has been in and out of jail and recently drug rehab. John has always been polite around me, and I know that he is actually a very smart, well-mannered young man ... in the right company.
My aunt buys him cartons of cigarettes, which completely confuses me. Why would she encourage that behavior? There is no obvious justification.
She also lets him drink alcohol at home. Her reasoning, apparently, is that she would rather have him drinking at home under her supervision than with his friends, getting in trouble.
There are two things amiss about this:
1. She plays drinking games with him. This does not teach responsible drinking.
2. Why does she think he will not go out drinking with his friends anyway? Is it more cool to drink with your Mom than with your friends? I don't think so.
My older brother says it is a good idea to allow him to drink at home because then he is not getting into trouble. I say that she is actually setting a bad example because she is not teaching him to drink responsibly, and she is not providing a form of entertainment that does not involve alcohol.
What are your views on this?
My aunt buys him cartons of cigarettes, which completely confuses me. Why would she encourage that behavior? There is no obvious justification.
She also lets him drink alcohol at home. Her reasoning, apparently, is that she would rather have him drinking at home under her supervision than with his friends, getting in trouble.
There are two things amiss about this:
1. She plays drinking games with him. This does not teach responsible drinking.
2. Why does she think he will not go out drinking with his friends anyway? Is it more cool to drink with your Mom than with your friends? I don't think so.
My older brother says it is a good idea to allow him to drink at home because then he is not getting into trouble. I say that she is actually setting a bad example because she is not teaching him to drink responsibly, and she is not providing a form of entertainment that does not involve alcohol.
What are your views on this?