Stop consuming alcohol with kids

THE consumption of alcohol, especially by children is terrifying.
We have seen our sons and daughters succumbed to influences of drugs and alcohol by peer pressure at an early age and we’ve condemned the act, but now it’s taking a whole new different level.
Some parents and guardians have now become suppliers of alcohol, encouraging their children, who are barely of legal age, to use alcohol for enjoyment and it’s just sickening. It’s quite a norm seeing children between 12 and 17 among the company of adults, fathers or mothers, uncles and older siblings, drinking beer for fun.
Parents and guardians who should be the mentors to discipline their children and guide them well to realise their potential in life are becoming their merry friends.
They allow their children to consume alcohol with them in an unregulated, demoralising and dangerous way and it’s just not okay.
They know very well that alcohol is not good for their children’s fragile body, let alone their vulnerable mental health, yet they sip beer with them like it is fun.
A proof of damage caused is what they get every day, the uncontrollable swearing against them, yet they don’t seem to be bothered.
Some of those parents and guardians got their fair share of spinoff benefits already such as unwanted marriages, lunatics, school drop outs and other related issues. If they’re wondering why this is happening, it’s because of alcohol.
It’s dangerous.
It’s not okay to give beer to children.
It’s physically, morally and legally wrong.
The Government has laws put in place to regulate alcohol consumption by people of a certain age, and people below 18 are not one of them and should not be sold alcohol to or even participate in consumption.
It’s wrong.
The law is one thing, but for reality and for the sake of our future, we should uphold stringent discipline based on Christian principles to school our children.
This will not only be the fulfilment of good parenting but also of God-given duty to nurture children with love to ensure they become good men and women in their futures.
If this negative trend continues, surely this so-called boom box and beer generation will not go down well in the future of this aspiring Christian country. We should reflect back to this year about this bad vice as well as others and in good conscience, make aggressive changes for the good of our children and ourselves before it’s too late.

Japhet. T. Utio
Lae, Busurum
Bagarap Compound