Via Feministing, the Today show goes deep inside the seedy underbelly of suburban play dates turned hedonistic booze-fueled mom-orgies.
OK, it's actually about some moms who get together and have a glass of Chardonnay or two while the kids romp around. But won't somebody please think of the children?
There are safety issues to consider. Who would drive to the hospital if a child were hurt? Unlikely, but it could happen.
If the kid is hurt enough to merit a trip to the ER, most of the time one should probably call an ambulance. You could do a lot more harm than good by taking a kid with an unsupported fracture or an unsecured C-spine and just throwing him in the Land Rover (or whatever the hell it is that suburban soccer moms drive these days). And the last thing you want is to be stuck in traffic with a kid who needs to be intubated toot-sweet.
If it isn't severe enough to merit an ambulance, it can probably wait until the pediatrician's office opens, at which point everyone will be sobered up.
But it's true, there are situations in which a kid might need to be driven somewhere right away. In that case, you have a room full of adults who have had a glass or two of wine. Very few adults are going to be unable to drive after a single adult beverage, or even two unless they've been guzzled. In a room full of responsible social drinkers, the odds are pretty slim that no one will be able to drive.
But is there such a thing as "responsible drinking"?
Then, there's the fine line between social and problem drinking. Psychologists suggest moms sometimes drink as a coping mechanism.
I admit it--I drink as a coping mechanism. After a long, hard day at work, a cold Newcastle or a splash of Knob Creek just makes things better, dammit. Mankind has known this ever since the first cave dweller left the berry juice out too long and found that it made him a good dancer.
It's ridiculous to divide all drinking into "social" and "problem" and to then claim there's a "fine line" between the two. Lots and lots of people consume moderate amounts of alcohol as a part of everyday life without any problems whatsoever. Young adults would be more likely to drink responsibly if we didn't treat every nip like some enormous taboo.
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