I agree Leni, in fact, I kind of think having a drink in front of your children normalises it, whereas if you were to hide it away and make it some big secret, children are going to be a lot more curious about trying it. My mum never drinks, but when I was younger my dad would drink beer in front of me, at dinner or in the evening watching tv. He didn't get drunk though, there's a big difference between having a couple of glasses with a meal (in front of your kids) and doing vodka shots and getting off your face (in front of your kids). I was allowed to try alcohol, I can remember when I was about 11, my aunt took me to the Canary Islands, and we brought my dad back a bottle of -excuse the spelling- curente y tres (43) and he let me have a sip, I took a tiny tip, thought it was ok, so took a little bit more, then it burnt my throat and I was like urgh, never drinking that again! Haha.

Same. My parents enjoy a drink and were always very open about it - also very clear about the dangers of alcohol and why you shouldn't indulge before your brains have fully developed and matured - but we were always allowed to taste whatever they were having if we were curious. When I say taste, I mean dip the tip of a pinky finger in and lick that: just enough to taste (and in most cases not like it) but not enough to get any effect from the alcohol. The result: three children who grew up understanding the dangers of alcohol and were able responsibly enjoy it without ever needing to indulge in excesses. Sure, we al get drunk every now and then, but never blindingly so. The contrast with kids growing up with alcohol being some sort of forbidden fruit who go out and get fake id's and binge drink as soon as they get into college couldn't be greater. Drinking was never exciting to me because it wasn't a taboo.

Not sure if I'd necessarily want to normalize it but i agree it's better than skulking around with it like a criminal xD I personally don't really drink - maybe a glass of wine when I'm out for dinner, but then rarely - same for my husband, maybe occasionally a beer when out, but it's almost never in the house. We do the same with candy. We don't demonize it, we don't avoid it altogether, we just rarely bring it into the house.

Fewer Europeans are alcoholics because the children are raised around it and it's no big deal.

I think it is perfectly okay at some extent. For example my parents smoked a lot in the house and I hated it so much that I've never ever smoke a cigarette in my 27 years. Drinking never excited me either because they were so casual about it, I knew I could try it any time I wanted, so I did and it wasn't such a big deal and I can ejnoy my occasional wine now without being an alcoholic or having a lot of... half-memories :D... If you make something taboo your kids will get interested.

It doesn't have to be "normalized." It is normal.

Smoking is altogether different. Children suffer from second-hand smoke and all smoking is bad for you.