Baby Caught 'Drinking' Beer at Baseball Game

maandag 23 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jeanne Sager 3 hours ago

Moms, it should go without saying that when you're celebrating your favorite baseball team's big win, you should keep the alcohol to the adults. But based on the kerfuffle over a beer-drinking baby caught celebrating the Oakland A's division title win, apparently it needs to be said. To the mom who was spotted on TV, seemingly serving up a Bud Light to her baby, a word?

You're just asking for trouble.

The beer-drinking baby, or at least the baby with a beer bottle to his lips, was caught on-screen behind a Comcast sports reporter doing an interview. The mom's face is turned away from the camera, but you can clearly see she's holding the baby, and an arm wearing the same color shirt as mom and awfully close to her body is holding the unmistakable blue beer bottle to the baby's lips.

Do we know that there is beer in there?

Of course not. It could easily have been water. Or nothing at all. In the midst of celebrating, people do silly ... and often stupid things.

I don't see any reason to crucify this mom without proof that she was putting her baby in actual harm.

But ....

A HUGE BUT for you.

Usually when these sort of "OMG, can you believe she let her baby drink that?" stories come out in the news, it's because a parent was dumb enough to make their silly antics public. A photo shows up on Facebook or a mom stands in a crowded room directly in front of a television camera ... and let's baby suck on a beer bottle.

Whether it's empty or not is (almost) besides the point. The point is, she's allowing the world to think that she serves her baby alcohol.

That's the part that bugs me. She's not ashamed to be thought of as the mom who lets her baby drink! At least the rest of us have the good sense to only do pranks like that in private (kidding, kidding ... or am I?)!

The point is -- maybe there was booze. Maybe there wasn't. But mom did this out in public. She opened herself up to criticism. And, well, it was stupid. Stupid if there was beer in there because, duh, babies should not be drinking beer! Stupid if there wasn't beer in there because, duh, you just made everyone watch the A's post-game celebration wonder if your baby is an alchie.

Do you think this is an example of bad motherhood or just stupidity? Would YOU do it?

Image via Valentin Janiaut/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeanne Sager

writes articles for The Stir by day, slays closet monsters and bounds through bedtime stories with her elementary schooler by night. The Phineas and Ferb soundtrack reverberates through her brain.

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Talking With Kids About Underage Drinking

vrijdag 13 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
Posted 15 hours ago

This is a sponsored post by Anheuser-Busch.

It’s never too early -- or too late -- to talk with your children about underage drinking. Starting the dialogue now means they’ll be better informed about the risks and more likely to keep the lines of communication open as they face new circumstances and challenges.

Before you start the discussion, you’ll need to think about the message you want to convey to your kids. That means clarifying your own position on the rules and consequences surrounding underage drinking. Remember to keep the conversation age-appropriate, giving them only as much information as they need. Here are some other things to keep in mind:

Know the laws. Be prepared to explain them to your kids, and help them understand how they’re designed to protect and keep them safe.Outline the risks. Kids may not see the less-obvious dangers and consequences, or they may be in denial about the more serious ones. Avoid using scare tactics, but make sure they’re aware. This includes outlining any punishments you’ll impose as a parent.Define the boundaries and be consistent. Don’t make exceptions for special occasions.Set a good example. If you want them to be responsible, you should show them that you know to do the same, and value the importance of doing so.Look at the big picture. Remind your children that they’re accountable for all their actions and choices, and the consequences -- good and bad -- of those decisions. Also emphasize that you love and support them and want to give them the tools to help them make positive choices.

Have you talked to your child about underage drinking yet? If not, when do you plan to?

For more tips about talking to kids about underage drinking, click here to download a helpful guide for parents. Or join the conversation on the Anheuser-Busch Family Talk About Drinking Facebook page.

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More Moms Are Binge Drinking and the CDC Is Worried

dinsdag 27 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota

Plenty of moms out there rely on a glass or two of wine a few nights a week to take the edge off of a long day. But according to the CDC, a growing number of moms are taking their drinking habit too far.

A recent report shows that binge drinking is on the rise, not just in teens and college-age women, but among moms who use alcohol to relieve the stress of their day.

So how do you know if you're a binge drinker?

Binge drinking is defined as having four or more drinks in one night. A recent CDC study showed that one in eight women binge drink about three times a month, and most of those women have an average of six drinks per binge.

You may think that doesn't sound like you -- but the FOX affiliate in Atlanta recently profiled a mom who's a recovering alcoholic, and what she had to say may hit home with you.

"I was drinking home alone," Stephanie Hazard told the reporter. "I was drinking to the point where I was almost finishing a bottle of wine a night. Not every night but every other night," she said.

Stephanie knew she had a problem when she realized that she felt like she couldn't go without a drink.

Among moms, binge drinking isn't happening at bars and restaurants (other than the occasional girls' night out). It's happening at home, often alone after the kids have gone to bed.

CDC statistics show that binge drinking is most common among women ages 18-34, whites and Hispanics, and women with an income greater than $75,000. Not only can it damage relationships and the family dynamic, it can also damage your health.

Binge drinking puts you at greater risk of breast cancer and heart disease. The CDC says that drinking too much causes the deaths of about 23,000 women and girls every year.

Whoa.

If you're worried that you have a problem with alcohol, you can get help by calling 1-800-662-HELP.

Do you think binge drinking among moms is a bigger problem than most people thought?

Image via DaGoaty/Flickr

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Drinking Soda May Make Your Child More Violent and Aggressive

zaterdag 17 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Mary Fischer 22 hours ago

Soda, or should I say sugar water, is already horrible for our kids in about a gazillion different ways. It can rot their teeth. It makes them all hyper and unruly. And it's loaded with empty calories and caffeine and chemicals and all sorts of disgusting stuff.

But if that isn't enough to convince parents that their kids shouldn't be drinking it, a new study from the Journal of Pediatrics says soda may make kids more violent and prone to aggressive behavior.

The research was conducted at Columbia University, and moms of 5-year-olds were asked how much soda their kids drink.

Half of the moms reported their kids drinking at least one soda per day, and 1 in 25 kids consumed four sodas per day. (Seriously?)

And guess what? The ones who had four per day were found to be more than twice as likely to physically attack others, get into fights, and destroy personal belongings than the kids who drank stuff other than soda.

So there you have it. Not only is soda detrimental to your child's health, it also has the potential to make him a little monster.

My son is seven, and he's never had one single sip of soda. And I plan on doing everything in my power to keep things that way until he's much, much older -- hopefully until he's a teenager (at which point soda will probably be the least of my concerns as far as what he's drinking goes.)

And I have to admit -- when I heard that there are 5-year-olds out there drinking it? I was more than a little appalled. What parent in their right mind gives a child that young soda? I hate to be judgy, because there are a whole host of other treats I allow my child to have -- but soda? For some reason, it just seems so much worse to me than other sweets. Maybe it's because it's carbonated. Or maybe it's because it's a liquid and gets into their bloodstream faster than cookies or cake. Whatever the case, as far as my kid is concerned, soda is the devil -- something I don't want him getting mixed up with and turning into a mean little hyperactive, aggressive animal.

Hopefully after hearing about this study, more parents who do allow their children to drink it will think twice and fill up their kids' cups with something else. (How about water? There's a thought.)

Do your kids drink soda?

Image via -Marlith-/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Fischer

is the writer behind The Mommyologist, and the mom of a future famous comedian. Her current loves include cosmopolitans, reality TV, and shoes that don't pinch her feet.

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