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Mum furious after nine-year-old daughter given alcohol at sleepover

By Merryn Porter |

While it is not unusual for young children to try a small sip of alcohol when they are at home with their parents, a mum in the UK has sparked a debate after her nine-year-old daughter was given alcohol at a sleepover without her permission.

Susan wrote on the Netmums forum page about a sleepover her nine-year-old daughter attended at a friend's home - and she was not happy.

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A UK mum is angry after her nine-year-old daughter was served alcohol at a sleepover. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"My daughter attended a 10th birthday sleepover with five girls (mix of nine and 10 year old's) from school. I'm very friendly with all the mums. They had a great time and my daughter came back exhausted but in good spirits," she wrote. "During the day she told me bits and bobs of what they got up to and it all sounded lovely until she mentioned that she tried a snowball (Advocaat and lemonade) and I'm furious.

"At home she's had the odd sip of bucks fizz (champagne and orange juice) with me and my husband, but the mum has given my child (and other children) some alcohol without my permission. Worst of all my daughter thought it was her fault and got [very] upset."

The woman wrote that she "challenged the mum" and while she apologised, she "basically blamed it on my daughter/the girls saying they were keen to try it and she didn't know she wasn't allowed".

"She's 9! "Why is this even being brought to a sleepover? I'm struggling with now being able to trust this parent again."

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The post drew dozens of comments, with most agreeing the woman was right to be angry. Some even labelled it "child abuse" and urged the woman to contact the police or child protective services.

One wrote: "I agree that this was not on at all! At the very least, if she was planning on letting them try the snowball she should have checked with the parents first that it was OK."

"I would be cross too," another wrote. "If the mum was going to offer the girls a snowball, she should have asked you about it before. There are plenty of non-alcoholic mocktails available that they could have been given instead."

Another shared their own experience: "I'd also be absolutely livid. I've been there with my 14-year-old daughter. If there's alcohol involved the parents' permission should be obtained," she said adding, "I'd not be letting my child near that house again as trust would be completely shattered."

A mum's actions at her child's sleepover has caused debate. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Another wrote: "I think this is absolutely unacceptable. I would also be very cross. I can't believe the mum thought this was OK. I'm gobsmacked".

But some said they couldn't see the issue considering she had given her daughter a drink in her own home. "I think if she is allowed a bucks fizz at home then a little snowball is not really that bad? You need to talk to your daughter about drinking alcohol and what is allowed and what isn't," one wrote.

Laws surrounding the consumption of alcohol by a child in a home differ from state to state in Australia, with NSW for instance allowing minors to drink at a home if they are supervised by a parent or another responsible adult who has sought permission of the child's legal guardian.

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