Mum fights with mother-in-law over giving 12-year-old gin and tonic

When it comes to children and alcohol people have very strong opinions on what they believe is acceptable.

Some parents are happy to let their child have a sip of booze here and there at home, while others are completely against the idea of underage drinking.

But one mum has asked the internet for advice after getting into a fight with her mother-in-law because she gave her 12 and 14-year-old daughters a gin and tonic.

The mum asked if it was unreasonable to think her mother-in-law was being a ¡°drama queen¡± and explained what kicked off their disagreement.

¡°In-laws came round last night for Sunday dinner. Made G&Ts when they got here, and our daughter (14) asked if she could have one. We said yes. Then our other (12) asked ¨C me and my husband looked at each other and thought about it for a moment and he agreed,¡± the mum wrote.

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¡°The drink we made her was literally a splash of gin in a large wine glass topped up with tonic water filled with ice and lemon. I would say it was approx 10 per cent gin and the rest tonic water/ice/lemon. She didn¡¯t act any differently after drinking 60-70 per cent of it. We made the same for our eldest daughter who has had it a few times when we have had friends over etc- I¡¯d say 3 or 4 times in the past year or so,¡± the post continued.

¡°MIL went on a rant about it and we ended up asking her to leave because she was turning it into a full blown argument. Am I Being Unreasonable?¡±

Backlash against the woman came quick, with plenty of people taking the mother-in-law¡¯s side.

¡°I¡¯m with your MIL here. No way would I give spirits to a 12-year-old,¡± wrote one commenter.

Another added: ¡°I have to admit I¡¯m judging you for giving your 12 and 14-year-old spirits. Sorry, but I think that¡¯s too young for spirits.¡±

¡°I think your MIL has a point. There is clear evidence that there is a correlation between problem drinking in later life and being given alcohol when young. I think she was right to voice her opinion,¡± wrote another woman.

Another woman who sided with the mother-in-law and admitted she would usually drink that much gin: ¡°I¡¯m 46 and when I have a G&T it¡¯s only usually 10 per cent gin. Too much too young, I¡¯m with your mil.¡±

Others hit out against the woman¡¯s parenting and said they were judging her for it too.

¡°And if I was your MIL, not only round I judge you for giving alcohol to a 12yo, I¡¯d also assume it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t have the parenting skills to say ¡®no¡¯ - and I¡¯d judge that too,¡± wrote one user.

Some people who did disagree with the fact she gave her daughters a drink also agreed that the mother-in-law should have kept her feelings to herself.

But there were a handful of users who saw nothing wrong with the woman letting her children drink at home.

¡°You are not being unreasonable. I don¡¯t understand how one small drink occasionally will do any harm,¡± wrote one user.

Another added: ¡°I wouldn't have an issue with this at all. The drink was 90 per cent tonic water. So I don't get the angst over it being ¡®ooh no, not spirits.¡¯ Especially from people saying they'd give a wine spritzer smile (And MIL needs to remember that she is grandmother, not parent)¡±