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My child questions my use of alcohol

Because drug education is commonly taught in schools, many parents mistakenly believe that their children are being taught all they need to know; but many times, children are seeing behavior in the home that is contrary to what they are being taught in school. This can be very confusing. If your child sees you pouring a glass of wine or beer, they may say to you, “My teacher says that alcohol is a drug and you shouldn’t take drugs.” This is not idle conversation. Your child wants to know why he is being taught one thing in school and is seeing another thing at home. He may be fearful that you will be arrested or become sick. Take time to reassure your child and discuss with him the difference between moderate legal drug use and the extreme of drug abuse. Explain to him that your family has rules and one of those rules is that everyone cares about their health and will not abuse drugs. Explain to him that it is not against the law or necessarily unhealthy for an adult to have a glass of wine but it is against the law for children to drink alcohol.

Adapted from:
How to Talk to Your Kids About Really Important Things:
Specific Questions and Answers and Useful Things to Say
Charles E. Schaefer, Ph.D. and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo, M.Ed.
Jossey-Bass Publishers
San Francisco
1994