I was drinking because my parents had a party, people put drinks down (wine, sherry, beer...) and I drank them... my parents saw, but thought it "cute". I have a lot of issues with what they think is cute. Hmm, we were all alowed shandy and stuff from about age 8 too.

I have never been drunk in front of my parents... well, aside from when I was a baby and at my 21st, where my friends kept re-filling my glass (that's bloomin' dangerous, something I really hate). Being allowed a drink is different to being allowed to be drunk.

I will continue to look at alcohol research, but I don't see the very occasional watered-down glass with a meal as harmful; I'm talking far less than half-and-half here.

Oh, btw, red wine with spag bol, please!

eta: just thought about every time I have been drunk - aside from as a baby, every time bar one was because people were re-filling my glass without my knowledge or not telling me they'd added a triple shot to my drink. As soon as I felt drunk I did stop drinking straight away and find a friend to take me home or stay with me where we were. The one other time was when the drugs I had to take when I had my feet broken reacted with the alcohol... and my friend did me a martini in a large glass thatwasn't the reqested martini and lemonade but vodka and martini!