A MUM has been slammed after sharing a photo of her toddler drinking beer – and claimed it “isn’t harmful to the baby”.
The woman posted the snap online which showed the infant sipping beer from a glass, but she tried to defend herself against critics saying ” it’s not like she’s shooting heroin”.
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The post was originally shared on Facebook but was later posted on Reddit, with the mum, who remains anonymous, writing: “She loves having taste of mummy’s beer #drinkup.”
While it’s not known where the mum is from, or how old the little girl is, it’s evident the tot is well under the legal drinking age – which is 18 in the UK.
According to the NHS, alcohol consumption for those below the recommended age is related to a wide range of health and social problems.
So, understandably, people were left angered by the post, warning the woman against it, News.com.au reported.
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“Do you want your child to be taken into care? Cause even if this is a joke someone will see this and report it to social services … deleted it now or you’ll regret,” one person wrote.
Others agreed, branding the mum’s actions as “messed up” and harmful to her daughter.
“What especially p***es me off about this is you’re practically shoving the glass in her face,” one person commented.
“It’s not a cute photo, she looks confused, it’s really sad actually that you think this (is) acceptable.”
What are the health risks associated with underage drinking?
According to the NHS, children and young people are advised not to drink alcohol before the age of 18 – but can from the age of 15 if at home with a parent .
Health risks include:
- Drinking alcohol can damage a child’s health, even if they’re 15 or older. It can affect the normal development of vital organs and functions, including the brain, liver, bones and hormones.
- Beginning to drink before age 14 is associated with increased health risks, including alcohol-related injuries, involvement in violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.
- Drinking at an early age is also associated with risky behaviour, such as violence, having more sexual partners, pregnancy, using drugs, employment problems and drink driving.
Read more on the NHS website.
And another said: “Don’t let her drink that for god’s sake!! What the hell”.
Meanwhile another chimed in saying: “I’m a mum to a two-year-old boy and I’d never let him ‘try’ alcohol’, let alone post it on Facebook because I care about his health and safety.”
But in an attempt to downplay her actions, the mum hit back writing that her daughter was “having some mouthfuls of beer” and not “shooting heroin”.
She said: “Clearly you’ve all never experienced being a mum cause if you did u would know that this isn’t harmful to a baby.
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“My mum used to let me drink a little when I was young and would put whisky on my gums when I had sore teeth. I’d never put my baby in danger so all of you go to hell.”
She added that her daughter had “finished the end bit” of her beer and was still “here and happy and healthy”.
Many Reddit users disapproved of the mum’s justifications, saying that drinking alcohol at such a young age could lead to dangerous habits later on.
Clearly you’ve all never experienced being a mum cause if you did u would know that this isn’t harmful to a baby.
Anonymous mum
“Actually alcohol is incredibly dangerous for young children,” said one.
And another added: “It causes their blood sugar to drop which is very very dangerous for such a small body and can easily cause them to have seizures.
“Not to mention repeated exposure to alcohol can actually impair growth.”
The photo has reportedly been deleted, according to News.com.au.
In other parenting news, a fed-up mum-of-four transforms her wardrobe into a ‘f*** off room’ so she can finally get some peace.
Plus a mum reveals how she gets viciously mum-shamed for ‘dumping’ her kids on her parents with people saying she’s lazy but that she doesn’t need the break.
And a mum gets slated for putting her toddler on a LEASH hits back at critics – and insists it’s ‘not down to laziness’.
