Posted on 09/25/2008 6:48:00 AM PDT by Sopater
FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A father who bought a beer for his 4-year-old son at the Fond du Lac County Fair and shared it with the boy's 2-year-old sibling was cited after becoming belligerent when he was approached by police.
A woman working at a beer tent last July told an officer she thought the man was joking when he asked for two beers — one for him and another for his 4-year-old son.
When he was questioned by an officer, he told him it's legal for underage children to drink in Wisconsin, as long as they're with their parents. The officer countered that the boys weren't old enough to know what they were drinking.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
They musta been outta scotch
I’m not sure if it is now, but as a child in the 70’s, my parents would buy me Rum and Cokes whenever we went out to eat.
Personally, I have gotten ice cream based adult beverages and given my girls a taste, but I’m not sure I would buy them their own.
If Libertarians had their way, the kids could have bought the beer themselves. Waaaaagh....burp1
It is still legal in the state of WI to be 18 and drink if your parents are there...I remember going to CO as an 18 year old with my Dad skiing and ordered a pitcher for the 2 of us and the guy thought I was nuts.
Only in Wisconsin... ;)
Not many Baptists in Wisconsin, eh??
;^o
Is this true???
http://www.dor.state.wi.us/faqs/ise/atundrg.html#undrg2
Also http://www.dor.state.wi.us/pubs/pb302.pdf Section XVIII which refers to Sec. 125.07(1), Wis. Stats.
Don’t know the whole story here, but giving a toddler an entire adult beverage isn’t wise. Their little livers can’t handle it and my experience is that toddlers like the taste of beer (likely to gulp it all down).
I have no issue with allowing kids, even toddlers, to taste alcoholic drinks or allowing kids in their teens to have an entire drink if they are under adult servision. That said buying beer for a toddler is in the same category and giving the kid a sharp knife.
Not sure if the “drinking with parents” law is really on the books but it was the law of the land in northern Wisconsin growing up. Lots of big family parties with coolers and half barrels and grade schoolers getting a cup here or there. Pretty innocent really - what’s the harm in a couple buzzed up kids picking candy at the 4th of July parade? If anything, to me it made alcohol seem like not much of a big deal, and drinking not much fun.
I know it’s true in Texas (minors may drink in the presence of a parent). 4 and 2 is a bit of a stretch, even here. We get kids in my court all the time who say they’d had a beer at home a few hours earlier with Dad. Doesn’t really explain the .15 alcohol content when they got pulled over...
Colonel, USAFR
Could be the case. If so, the police were stupid to arrest him if they didn’t observe the younger children drinking a good portion of the beer.
Gee, I feel so backwards because we dont have more nanny state laws.
Hey, our governor is your fellow liberal, maybe if you whine to him he will appoint you to the Board of Blissninnies to oversee this issue.
Oh, and heers your binkie...
I'm one of those weirdos who loves to shovel, especially right before dawn or after sunset. My ritual: post-shovel warm up of hot Chocolate Royale Ovaltine and a jigger of peppermint Schnapps. Mmmmmm, that's good! Smoother taste than CdM, but still evokes childhood memories.
My oldest and youngest boys have tried sips and deemed it "Are you out of your mind, that's disgusting" but my middle son always wants a sip.
I see nothing wrong with it as long as they weren’t driving home.
Who knows? Maybe it’s a cold weather state thing.
I used to hand out candy on Halloween (from 13 years old on) sitting in a chair on the front steps with a steamy cup of coffee laced with Creme de Cacoa. All bundled in a blanket. The kiddies loved me! Towards the end of the two hours I was handing out handfuls!
“I know it’s true in Texas (minors may drink in the presence of a parent).”
I thought that got changed in the late 70s or 80s.
Nope. It’s a defense to MIP and consumption of alcohol by a minor that the minor was consuming or possessing in the presence of and with the permission of a parent. Both offenses are class C misdemeanors and I see them all the time in the municipal court where I’m a judge. Fortunately, I haven’t seen one where the kids are 2 and 4 as in this case. On the other hand, if it’s one of the kid’s friends who gets the ticket and you’re the parent of the other kid, it’s a state jail felony to provide alcohol to a minor.
What I meant was that it used to be legal for a parent to buy a drink for his kid in a bar.
When I was growing up in Texas the public understanding was that the parent could buy us a beer as we sat in an icehouse, the parent was the only voice in the matter, not the state.
The statute doesn’t prohibit buying your kid a drink at dinner, but I’m not sure about whether the establishment can serve it (Catch 22s abound in this area). I think they’d probably opt out, thinking you’re a TABC agent trying to entrap them. Stranger things have happened, as you know, having experienced the icehouse phenomenon!
Colonel, USAFR
The REALLY politically incorrect thing I miss is popping the top on a Lone Star, in the pickup, with the windows rolled down, on the way to the lake Friday afternoon. THAT was Texas livin’...
Colonel, USAFR
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