It's not something that I ever really thought about while my kids were younger. I could have a beer and not think twice about it, because they didn't know what I was drinking. For all they knew, it was water. But it wasn't, and now they know what it is.
They now know that daddy drinks beer.
It used to be some kind of joke that I drank beer. There was something about the kids saying the word "beer" that was kind of funny. Only, it's not really. The fact that they now associate me having a good time with the word "beer" is not something I am very proud of. What was once a joke, now seems like anything but.
I don't consider myself an alcoholic by any stretch of the imagination. I don't need to drink it 24/7 and it's not something that controls me, but I do like to drink. I have a drink while I'm cooking, I have a drink while I'm eating and I have a drink after dinner. Sometimes it's the same drink, but sometimes it's three different ones.
I know a lot of parents that say having a drink makes them a better parent. I don't know if that is a joke or if it is something they truly mean. Sometimes we do need to take the edge off, but the kids are obviously paying attention to everything that we do. I don't know that letting the kids know that mommy or daddy needs to have a drink every now and then is the right message to send.
I'm not saying that I need to completely stop drinking, but I do need to do a better job of realizing that I am. Every now and then it's funny when they try to order a beer at a restaurant, but I know that it's kind of sad, too. The fact that they relate any sort of drinking to me is not a good thing.
Do I drink too much?
The fact that I am even asking the question leads me to believe that I probably am.