Why We Need to Think Twice About Drinking Around Our Kids (and Giving Them Mocktails)
- Ali Payne
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 24
Little eyes are always watching and learning, even when you think they’re not
It’s 5pm, you pour yourself a glass of wine.
Your child is at the table, drinking squash or juice from a wine glass “just like mummy”.
It’s sweet. It’s funny. Maybe it even feels harmless and just a little moment of play.
The issue here is that children are learning about alcohol long before they ever take their first sip. And the way we model drinking (and even “pretend drinking”) can shape how they think about alcohol for the rest of their lives.
We all know kids copy what they see and learn from the way we speak and behave.
If alcohol is the go-to way for adults to relax, celebrate, or connect, children absorb that message, even if they’re not told it out loud.
They might not hear: “You need alcohol to unwind.” But they see:
“Mummy has a drink when she’s stressed. That’s how you cope.”“A special drink in a fancy glass makes things feel more special.””Drinking alcohol is how you celebrate something.”
And that lesson can stick.
Giving a child a “special drink” in a wine or prosecco glass might seem fun, especially at parties or special occasions like Christmas and birthdays. But this can be risky:
Normalises the ritual: You’re showing that holding a certain glass = being grown-up and special.
Creates an association: Even if it’s juice, they’re connecting that glass with adult “drinking time.”
Blurs the line: When they’re older, moving from pretend to real alcohol feels like a natural next step.
It’s the subtle, repeated conditioning that alcohol is a natural part of adult life, socialising and celebration. That it’s what you do when you grow up.
If we can create joyful, relaxed moments without alcohol in the picture, we teach them something more powerful:
“You can have fun, connect, and mark special occasions without needing a drink in your hand.”
Here are some ideas to keep the fun and specialness, without linking it to alcohol:
Give them their own “signature” drink in a fun non-wine glass (colourful tumblers, mason jars with straws).
Let them help “create” the drink such as fruit-infused water, smoothies, or fancy hot chocolates.
Celebrate with rituals, not alcohol cues — sparklers, party hats, a “cheers” with hands instead of glasses.
Talk openly about why alcohol isn’t a magic ingredient for fun or relaxation.
This isn’t about guilt or being perfect, it’s about awareness.
Our children will learn about alcohol from the world soon enough. We can choose whether their earliest lessons come from marketing, peer pressure… or from us modelling that happiness, relaxation and connection come from how we spend our time and who we spend it with — not what’s in our glass.
