Why Drinking While Out With Children Is A Bad Decision

It should be illegal to serve alcohol to people that have minors with them while out in public. Too often, while I was working as a food server in a large restaurant, I would have customers that would come in for dinner with their children, and drink it up, not taking into consideration the example that was being shown to their little observers. Let's use for an example - a mom, a dad, a 9 year old girl and a 5 year old boy. (This is an example only). The mom has 3 glasses of wine, (6oz X 3 = 18oz) and the dad has 4 beers. (14oz X 4 = 66oz). So using the American Government Guidelines, a standard serving of alcohol is 12oz beer and 5oz wine....enough said there. And what about setting a good example? The message being sent to the children is that drinking & driving is Okay. And most likely, they will grow up following what they learned from their parents. Even though I have served alcohol for a living,and write for a cocktail website, I believe in zero tolerance for drinking and driving. Getting drunk, and then operating a vehicle is selfish, stupid, and inexcusable. In May of 2007, I was hit by a drunk driver - my car was totaled, my daughter, sister, friend and I all went to the hospital with injuries, my teenage daughter hurt the worst. I can proudly say I have never driven drunk in my life. There should always be a designated driver. If not, then don't drink. It is not a necessity, it is a choice and a privilege. Next time you are debating if it is a good idea to chance it, (obviously you have no regards for yourself), at least try to think of the innocent- imagine that 5 year old child that is helpless in the backseat of a car, that you may take the life of, all because of a bad decision. Plan and Think ahead. Stay alive, and keep others safe as well.