How old were you when you had your first drink?

[Lorena]

Here I am, drinking my cheap wine, thinking of past New Years when I celebrated with parents and family members. My first drink was when I was about 5 years old. My dad would give me about a quarter of a cup of beer, but that was it.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I think I was about 3. Seriously. I drank a lot of beer when I was 3 and 4. Since then, I've had a sip of champagne at my wedding and two sips of a beer from Thailand (which reminds me of a pretty funny story, but it's only funny if you can hear me tell it).

[Grammaticus]

Well, I'm not sure about my first sip. It was probably around 7 or 8. But I was 12 when I started drinking socially with my friends. Basically sneaking beers and pouring a small amount from each liquor bottle from the parents cabinet into a 12 oz. coke bottle (suicides). Then sneaking away and drinking what we nabbed outside. Fun stuff.

[Desmond]

Im sure I had sips at various times thruought my youth but i never really drank till I was 18.

[Terps]

Im sure I had sips at various times thruought my youth but i never really drank till I was 18.
Same here.

[Marc Vaughan]

Around 5 or 6, my daughters had a 'sip' from alco-pops while I've been drinking them every now and then since a similar age - I'm a great believer in people being less 'silly' with drink if they've not been wholly denied it during their childhood and thus have some experience of it (and most importantly have seen their parents drinking in moderation).

[Ben E Lou]

First sips were communion wine. First drink, as in more than a sip or two? I think I was 23 or 24.

[Ben E Lou]

Heh. I posted that before I saw Marc's post. Sorry Marc, I'm the exception to your rule. :p

[MJ4H]

Never.

[jeff061]

15 or 16, sips excluded.

[oliegirl]

15 or 16, sips excluded.


Same here, sims of champagne or something every now and then, but that was when I started drinking when I was out with friends, but even then it was only wine coolers...

[ice4277]

Not counting sips, I think 17, although a VERY bad experience with it at that point meant I didn't touch the stuff again until I was 19 and could go over to Canada to drink.

[Barkeep49]

I'm a great believer in people being less 'silly' with drink if they've not been wholly denied it during their childhood and thus have some experience of it (and most importantly have seen their parents drinking in moderation).

I think the important part is not to make alcohol something forbidden and scary. My parents almost never drink, but at the same time on the occasions when they did have alcohol, they would always offer me a sip, which I almost always declined. In the last couple of years I have started drinking wine, and would say that I drink perhaps a couple glasses a month, but am hardly a problem drinker despite not really ever having alcohol until I was over 21.

[TonyR]

My first drink came at 22 years old. I've only had mixed drinks, smirnof, & wine.
My parents did drink alcohol (beer/wine) but never did offer me any. But growing up, I saw some uncles, aunts, and my grandfather after they had had a few too many. That more than anything kept me away from alcohol. My last drink came during my honeymoon about 17 months ago.

[Poli]

Other than a sip or tricked into a drink (which was nothing more than noticing the taste), my first drink was at 27.

[cthomer5000]

12 or 13 for my first real drink. After that I didn't drink until freshman year at college.

[GreenMonster]

First sips were communion wine. First drink, as in more than a sip or two? I think I was 23 or 24.

Wow, why start drinking then.?

[Eaglesfan27]

I had a few sips earlier, but had my first real drink at 17.

[ScottVib]

My dad gave me a sip when I was 4 or 5, it was terrible, didn't drink again until I was 18 (excluding champagne at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary)

[terpkristin]

I think I was 19 or 20. All I remember was that I was at the Outer Banks, there was skinny dipping, and I was puking my guts up for half the night.

The last event I remember of the night prior to passing out was having a big swig of what I thought was water and turned out to be vodka. I don't remember polishing off a bottle of SoCo with another girl named Kristin.

Even my 21st birthday wasn't quite as "bad" in terms of drunkenness as that night was...

/tk

[clintl]

My great-grandmother gave me about a half can of beer when I was maybe around 10 (+/- a year or two).

[Philliesfan980]

I would say 18. Did a lot of social drinking during that time. Now I probably average a drink or two a month. Mostly wine with the Wife.

[ScottVib]

The last event I remember of the night prior to passing out was having a big swig of what I thought was water and turned out to be vodka.

I had that happen once... I was trying to drink water at the end of a fairly long evening of drinking and asked my friend to get me a glass, he did with a dumbass grin on his face... but in my inebriated state I failed to put 2 and 2 together took the glass drank it and asked for another.

Then I noticed his jaw drop and he go "DUDE!" I asked what and he told me I just drank a full glass of vodka. We then proceeded to argue about whether or not I drank a glass of vodka, with my argument consisting of no way, I would have tasted it, and his insistance that I had, until he finally brought me into the kitchen and showed me the bottle and sure enough a glass was missing.

I got my own water the rest of the night.

[Lorena]

I had that happen once... I was trying to drink water at the end of a fairly long evening of drinking and asked my friend to get me a glass, he did with a dumbass grin on his face... but in my inebriated state I failed to put 2 and 2 together took the glass drank it and asked for another.

Then I noticed his jaw drop and he go "DUDE!" I asked what and he told me I just drank a full glass of vodka. We then proceeded to argue about whether or not I drank a glass of vodka, with my argument consisting of no way, I would have tasted it, and his insistance that I had, until he finally brought me into the kitchen and showed me the bottle and sure enough a glass was missing.

I got my own water the rest of the night.

Nevermind that, how can you not smell it?

EDIT: Oh, nvm, you were already drunk... well that explains it :D

[Telle]

When I was four years old I had enough sips at my uncle's wedding to get nice and toasted. When I was a teen my mom started handing me half a wine cooler when I was pmsing. I started drinking socially in college, but was never one to drink to excess.

[vtbub]

Served at Pizza Hut at 15.

[ice4277]

I had that happen once... I was trying to drink water at the end of a fairly long evening of drinking and asked my friend to get me a glass, he did with a dumbass grin on his face... but in my inebriated state I failed to put 2 and 2 together took the glass drank it and asked for another.

Then I noticed his jaw drop and he go "DUDE!" I asked what and he told me I just drank a full glass of vodka. We then proceeded to argue about whether or not I drank a glass of vodka, with my argument consisting of no way, I would have tasted it, and his insistance that I had, until he finally brought me into the kitchen and showed me the bottle and sure enough a glass was missing.

I got my own water the rest of the night.
Reading this story, after my night last night, makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little bit.

[Marc Vaughan]

Heh. I posted that before I saw Marc's post. Sorry Marc, I'm the exception to your rule. :p
Quite all right, I've had friends who've been similar exceptions ...

This parenting lark is pretty much shooting in the dark without enough stats to base an opinion on most of the time so imho most of us do what we feel is right with our 'gut' - heck half the time there is no right/wrong answer really (or simply that the answer varies depending on the people and situation) .... :D

[Marc Vaughan]

I think the important part is not to make alcohol something forbidden and scary. My parents almost never drink, but at the same time on the occasions when they did have alcohol, they would always offer me a sip, which I almost always declined. In the last couple of years I have started drinking wine, and would say that I drink perhaps a couple glasses a month, but am hardly a problem drinker despite not really ever having alcohol until I was over 21.

Thats pretty much what I'm trying to do, my kids aren't allowed much but its not a forbidden fruit ... they know my wife and I drink occassionally and are allowed a 'taste' of a drink now and again (and on special occassions they can have a half a glass of wine or whatever) ...

By making it something they're familiar with and not denied to them I'm hoping as teenagers its not something they'll rebel into.

[JeeberD]

http://home.comcast.net/~jeeberd2/Beer.jpg

[Zippo]

I've had sips here and there but never actually drank and don't plan to any time soon.

[lungs]

I got wasted the first time when I was 3. Been drinking heavy ever since.

[Samdari]

I think I was about 3. Seriously. I drank a lot of beer when I was 3 and 4. Since then, I've had a sip of champagne at my wedding and two sips of a beer from Thailand (which reminds me of a pretty funny story, but it's only funny if you can hear me tell it).

You're dying to find an excuse to post video of yourself here aren't you?

[Pumpy Tudors]

You're dying to find an excuse to post video of yourself here aren't you?
Goodness, that would not end well.

[Toddzilla]

A travelling salesman walking through a neigborhood sees a young kid age 3 sitting on a front porch drinking a beer. "What are you doing drinking beer?" shouts the man, "you're only a kid!".
"That's nothin'," the kid says, "I had sex when I was 2."
"Sex? When you were 2? what were you thinking?"
"How the hell should I know? I was drunk."

A travelling salesman goes up to a house and knocks on a door. A 3 year old kid answers the door, cigar in one hand, beer in the other. Music is blasting from the stereo and the whole house is a complete wreck from a wild party. The salesman is shocked, but he manages to say, "Um, Is your mommy or daddy home?" The kid takes a puff on the cigar, finishes the beer and says, "What the fuck do you think?"

[Cringer]

I think I may have had a sip or two from a beer or wine when I was younger.

12-First time drinking without parents knowledge, that I remember.

13-First time full blown drunk.

15-First time driving under the influence, while in a car taken without permission that my father had taken back from my brother.

15.5-First time throwing my own kegger. The cops showed up. :mad:

16-First time passing the 20 shot mark (at a New Years party as we tried to out drink each other). I passed out on the front porch in what is the bad part of town (crack house across the street), and woke up wit puke on me.

19-Pretty much stopped drinking. Had the occasional beer, but went 2-3 years where I never had more then a six pack worth of beer a year. Now I maybe get a six-pack every couple months and it will last 2-3 weeks. Usually i just get a bottle of micro-brew, something 'special' and that is it.

[Greyroofoo]

i'm pretty sure i've been drinking since at least a few days old, or would've died of dehydration

[tanglewood]

First taste of alcohol was probably 8 or 9, as a glass of champagne at Christams and New Years is a family tradition. However at that age I would just take a sip and refuse to drink any more of the horrible stuff. Didn't drink get used to the taste of alchool until 16 and didn't drink on a fairly regular basis until 18.

[Lorena]

First taste of alcohol was probably 8 or 9, as a glass of champagne at Christams and New Years is a family tradition.

Yup, drinking alcohol was a New Years Day tradition in our family too. Drinking with my cousins what the shit!! Ahh... the memories

[Mac Howard]

Can't really remember but I think 18 when I first went to the University Union bar. I take the same attitude as others above with my ten year old daughter and allow her to join us whenever we begin a meal with sparkling wine - a mix of about one part wine and 10 parts orange juice for her. It allows her to join in the celebration, toasts whatever and hopefully will mean she doesn't see drinking as a means to cock a snoop at her parents when she's in her mid teens. That's probably hopeless wishful thinking :(

[Vince]

I did not have a single sip of alcohol (ever) until I was 18 years old and a Freshman in college. I then decided to have 10 shots of Vodka in 15 minutes.

Amazingly enough, I still like vodka.

[Vince]

...cock a snoop...
That is an awesome phrase.