The definitive answer to the question posed is elusive as all children are different and all parents use differing methods of teaching their children the difference between right and wrong.
There is nothing wrong in my mind with a child experiencing the taste of alcohol in a well controlled environment such as a family dinner. Allowing young people to understand what it is that alcohol can do to their minds or bodies, can, encourage moderation or indeed abstinence later in life.
I am not advocating drinking bottle upon bottle of wine at every meal just occasionally. I believe that along with allowing the use of alcohol parents should at all times explain why it is not good to drink too much
I am not saying you should tell them constantly but a discussion during quiet times alone should take place.
When my children got older 10/12 I made sure that they all got drunk in the house once on a mixture of drinks. The reasoning was that I knew sooner or later with or without my permission due to peer pressure they would do it anyway and I wished them to know exactly how it felt so that if the worst was to happen and they were slipped some stronger alcohol; they could remember the lesson and react in an appropriate manner.
Some would say I was irresponsible but none of my children have a drink problem and one of them will still not touch alcohol.
Teaching them to respect alcohol for what it is I believe is a safer bet than letting them find out for themselves which they will from their friends (usually down a back ally with some cheap wine or cider)
I would rather know where and what my kids are doing.
It also helps you determine what kind of drunk you're child will become when they get older, so you know what to expect from them when they come back from the first legal drinking session with their mates. Or even the first illegal session with their mates.
After all unless you are severely restricted by religion or oppressive regimes we have all done it, the thrill about drinking before we were legally entitled / allowed to was half the fun of drinking (least ways it was to me) . Which is another reason to allow children a taste it takes away some of the thrill element if parents know that they have been drinking.
One time I would not endorse this policy though would be at large family parties when it is possible others within the extended family group do not think as you do as this may lead to friction, there is nothing worse than a whinging child droning on about “cousin Tommy is aloud to”.
Whatever your own opinion please drink sensibly and teach your children as well.
