Children get a crash course in wine-making

I like the European aspect on this one. I live in Canada and as it is I find the "western" culture and take on things to be a little uptight and just downright anal about some things. (And note that I was born here, and so were my parents and grandparents, so I'm certainly well rooted here).

To be honest as a child alcohol was never a big thing to me. My parents were really open about it and to me it just never occurred as something to go crazy with. To be honest I'd rather now even sit down with a glass of koolaid than a beer Hehehe. I find the European culture is certainly used to this kind of thing anyway, so it's not as if these kids are being *gasp* exposed to something horrible. It's just another part of every day living that they are able to look more into. It's totally dependant on the cultures, here something like that would be put on the front page of every newspaper and people would end up being thrown in jail. While in Europe it may actually teach something and inspire something.

So don't feel bad about being a "lefty"... In fact I think that they've probably got a few more things going the right way than we do (And that's an understatement)

So when do we declare Wednesday to be a nice family holiday?

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My parents raised my brother, sister and I with a very European attitude. We were allowed to drink wine from the time we were 12 and could even request a specific flavor of wine cooler (yes, I realize that wine coolers are a malt beverage and are more like beer than wine) be purchased for us. We only consumed alcohol in our own home and when our parents were present. Yes, all three of us has had our wild moments (oh, the college years) but we were taught early on that drinking was to be respected. To this day I would much rather have a single glass of wine than a stiff cocktail with my meal and more often than not iced tea. I plan on raising my children the same way. There is no need for children to be taught that alcohol is illicit and that the human body is something to be ashamed of. America's attitude tends to be quite prudish...

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I wonder, would the woman who recently offered her 11 year old a swill of beer and a puff of pot, be considered "European" in her attitude?

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/02/09/mom-gives-daughter-pot-and-beer-for-birthday/

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This was stolen from the site: www.catavino.net and the original author is Gabriella Opaz - not to mention the article is much longer than this. Without a link to our site you are in violation of our TOS...Please remove this post or give credit to the original

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Sorry I didn't see the link at first...my bad, and no I do think blogs should share, dice, chop and spread each others content... I would have removed the comment if I could. Like I said, my bad...I just had full articles stolen today a few times, and I am a bit frustrated chasing them all over the web...this one is not, and just got caught up in my sweep! Sorry...to addd to the article you may want to check out the comments on our site, we had some heated debate that may interest you.

Cheers,

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One set of grandparents would always have wine at meals, the other set was completely opposed to drinking alcohol so I had a taste of both sides of the discussion. I noted that the side who cringed at the thought of drinking actually had more of a history of alcoholism sprinkled through the family tree. Perhaps that's where the negative attitude originated. The other side had no problems with drinking a glass of wine with dinner and walking away. I would say that past history might have more bearing than whether one is European in their thinking.

Jan from http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com/

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First, I'd like to thank Parent Dish for taking the time to cover my article. It's always great to see others equally charged about the subject, and I'm ecstatic to see so many people with such strong opinions. The only way we can change an attitude is by bringing it to light.

Second, Nadine, I couldn't agree more with your statements about the European attitude. The only area where I would twist your choice of words a bit is when you say that the US tends to be prudish. Although on the surface, I would agree with you, but underneath, I think we're sitting on a big ball of fear with people terrified to lose control. If Americans merely whisper the facts about sex, drugs and alcohol - even placing them in a positive light- it is seen as criminal (I speak as an American). As it was mentioned in the article, good education on the positive and negatives of any choice breeds critical thinking, and hopefully, moderation. Moreover, if we teach in an interactive and dynamic style, children can see how everything from the science of growing the vine to the social and economic benefits of harvest festivals, are all part of the winemaking process. Therefore, education isn't simply on the subject on alcohol, it's on the various hues of a grape, how soils can benefit certain vines, traditional music played when they stomped grapes, art dedicated to winemaking, etc.

It's an interesting topic and I hope this is only the start of an ongoing conversation much needed in the States.

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